


Journey to the Nether

by Storybreather221



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Minecraft, Gen, Minecraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-05
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-02-28 07:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 49,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2723099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storybreather221/pseuds/Storybreather221
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Achievement Hunters haven't spoken to each other in four years, ever since a tragic accident took the life of one of their own. But when Gavin starts dreaming of a crazed king residing in the Nether he begins to think their friend might not be lost after all. But how can he rally everyone to form a rescue party when they all blame him for what happened in the first place? And will he be able to overcome his own guilt when he faces Ryan again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Oh boy, here we go. So this is the Minecraft AU I've been working on for a little over a month now (I'm only about halfway through and it's already longer than anything else I've written, yikes). This one is a bit more serious than the GTA fic, though I tried to keep the dialogue up to par with the humor we regularly get from the AH gang. Like my previous fics, I'll be updating weekly, this time on Fridays. Hope you all enjoy!

_Fire burned brightly over the rugged landscape of netherrack. Hundreds of craters of various depths and sizes pockmarked the treacherous land, making a straightforward journey nearly impossible. Every so often, a new column of flames would explode into place, projected there by one of the many monsters that roamed the Nether._

_A lengthy trip across such terrain would eventually reveal a dark valley where lava dripped from the steep slopes like honey from a hive. And at the bottom of this valley, in a place unreachable by any man or woman insane enough to attempt the trek, sat an enormous palace._

_The castle was both glorious and terrifying in its design. Fashioned from nether quartz ore and illuminated by the surrounding lava falls, it shone brightly against the shadows caused by the looming mountains that stretched far above the horizon. Yet despite all this there still hung about the magnificent structure an aura of the deepest, blackest darkness that no light could chase away. Even the wickedest of the monsters who stalked the Nether with the commanding surety of a ruling beast avoided the area as if a sickness lay about it that even they dared not trespass upon._

_If one were to pass through the castle’s fortified gates and concealed traps placed to keep out unwanted visitors--and any visitor who dared step foot upon the castle grounds was unwanted--and then navigate successfully through the labyrinth of narrow passageways lit only by glowstone, one would discover the throne room, and seated upon the opulent throne, the castle’s king._

_There were very few lights in the room, for the man lived in the darkness which complimented the corruption that lay at the core of his being. His heart, which once beat as strongly as any other man’s, had long since crumbled into a withered husk. It did not matter to him, as a king needed to be neither kind nor compassionate, but merely had to rule over his subjects with the cruelty and the absolute control required to assure his security on the throne._

_And rule the man did, over the foreign land whose residents feared him even though they did not believe in kings. For although he was not native to the land, he had made it his home and proclaimed himself its ruler. It mattered not that none of his subjects acknowledged him, that he had declared himself without conquering a land or succeeding a dying father. Only rulers with a clear mind felt a desire to justify their rule, and this man’s mind was as twisted as his soul._

_In another life, he had been known as Ryan Haywood. Here, in the darkest, most remote secret of the Nether, he had earned another title._

_The Mad King._

Gavin jolted awake, and for a few moments he could not place where he was. As his mind shook off the weight of sleep, the dark plains of the Nether resolved into the underground caverns in which he lived. He expected the visions he had seen to fade as consciousness erased them from his memory, but instead they lingered on and left him troubled. He forced himself to lie back down and seek out sleep, and to forget what he had seen.

After all, he did not know why he should be dreaming of a dead man.


	2. A Rose is a Rose

The sun was already high in the sky by the time Gavin awoke. Of course, Gavin had no way of knowing this. There was no natural light in the caves where he lived. Gavin had been surprised at how comfortable these caves had become to him, especially given that he shared them with other, more volatile residents. Skeletons, zombies, and above all, creepers, wandered through the lava caverns, and there was always the risk of detection. Luckily, the creeper skin Gavin wore draped over his head and shoulders (which had _not_ been easy to get, that was for damn sure) usually prevented any of the monsters from seeing him for who he was, and as long as Gavin was careful, he was perfectly safe. Unfortunately, Gavin wasn’t exactly the most careful person in the world, and the many burns and scars that littered his entire body stood as testimony to his not-so-friendly encounters with his cave-mates.

On that particular afternoon, Gavin awoke restless. The dream he’d had the night before had not yet faded from his mind, and the images that cycled through his brain disturbed him. It had been a long time since he had seen the desolate lands of the Nether, and he had no desire to ever look upon them again. He tried to go about his day as usual; just the other day he’d discovered an abandoned mine shaft that held great promise for fresh minerals, but he couldn’t keep his mind on his work, and distraction was a very dangerous thing to entertain when digging through an unstable mine shaft. Gavin needed some fresh air, and perhaps a willing ear to share his troubles with. And there was only one person he could go to for that.

The trip to Ray’s house wasn’t terribly long, especially in the daytime, when there was no need to watch out for creatures of ill-intent exploring the surface. Gavin lived in a fairly isolated part of the world, in the caves he had dug out of the side of a cliff that looked out on the wide and limitless ocean. He kept mostly to himself, but whenever the craving for human contact became too strong, he would take the long walk to Ray’s place to just hang out for a bit. He missed the others, of course, but after all these years, Ray was the only person who still kept in touch with him.

After about an hour the rocky mountains gave way to grassy fields, and when Gavin reached the crest of a hill he could see Ray’s house in the distance, looking the same as always. The house itself was crude at best, just a square structure made out of regular oak planks, with two windows and a door. Gavin had been bugging Ray for ages about putting an extension in, maybe a guest bedroom so he could actually stay for more than a few hours, but that would probably never happen due to the fact that Ray was one of the laziest bastards Gavin had ever met. Not that he was one to talk.

Where the house failed to impress, however, the gardens that surrounded it were enough to take one’s breath away. While there were a variety of flowers planted in the beds that covered the otherwise plain landscape, it was the roses that were Ray’s pride and joy. Gavin had never understood the man’s passion for that particular plant, but he had to admit, they did look beautiful.

As Gavin approached the house, admiring the new yellow roses Ray had added to his garden since his last visit, he nearly tripped over a small ocelot that had wound its way between his legs.

“Hello, kitty,” Gavin said softly, squatting down to pet the tiny animal. Percival rubbed against his knees, darting away quickly when Gavin stood up and continued towards the house. A quiet clucking told him that Conrad the Chicken was around somewhere. Or was it Candace? Gavin could never remember the damned thing’s name.

He knocked on the front door and a few seconds later it opened. Ray peered out at him and Gavin grinned cheekily at his friend. As per usual, Ray was dressed in his regular suit, although he had left off his hat and the white eye-mask he used to wear. The cape remained, however, because as Ray had once told him: “Capes are fucking cool, man.”

Ray looked him up and down while Gavin waited to be invited in. He was bloody starving, and Ray always had something to eat.

“You are _not_ coming in like that,” Ray said, indicating Gavin’s sooty appearance, a side-effect of being surrounded by fire and lava all of the time. “Go wash your filthy self.”

“But, Ray,” Gavin whined.

“Come on, man, I just cleaned this place. Lose the soot and I’ll get you something to eat.”

“Fine,” Gavin said, and made his way around the house to the stream that flowed across Ray’s backyard. He sat down by the water’s edge and, after removing his creeper cloak and shirt, began splashing water onto his blackened limbs. As he did so, he caught sight of his reflection on the water’s surface, and bent down to get a closer look.

Gavin didn’t see his own face very often. He didn’t have any glass panes at home and was not the type to preen at himself in a mirror anyway. When you lived alone with no one but skeletons and creepers for company, appearances tended to fall by the wayside. His hair was the longest it had been for some time, reaching almost all the way to his shoulders, although one section on the left side was considerably shorter than the rest from where he had burned it off when he had narrowly escaped falling into a lava-fall. Maybe he could ask Ray to cut the rest of it while he was here. Ray was no master with the shears, but it would be better than Gavin attempting to do it himself.

As he washed his arms, the dirt wiped away to reveal the damaged skin underneath. Most of it was minor burns he’d gotten from living in the caves, but from the top of his left shoulder down to his chest and elbow his skin became darker, rougher. Jack had done his best to heal him after the explosion, his skin was never quite the same again. It felt raw, though it looked more painful than it actually was. Frankly, Gavin thought he looked better with the dirt on. When he was nice and properly clean, Gavin stood up and returned to the house. He found Ray sitting inside, absentmindedly petting Percival, who lay in his lap. A plate of carrots and fresh bread sat on the table.

“Aw, I was hoping for something a little nicer. Got any cake?”

“Shut up.”

Silence presided over the house while Gavin stuffed his face and Ray stared out the window. Inside, Ray’s home was just as simple. He kept very clean, helped by the fact that he didn’t have a lot of stuff to clutter his living space with. There was a bed in the corner, next to a small bookshelf that Ray hardly touched. The floor was covered in a white rug and on the other side was Ray’s kitchen/storage area, where he kept everything he needed in the row of chests lined up against the wall. Gavin often wondered if Ray got bored, living by himself without anything to do. Aside from tending to his garden, Ray didn’t go out much. Surely he had to be lonely without the rest of them around to fill up the day with hijinks and fun. Gavin sure was, though he tried not to dwell on the past too often. It never did him any good.

When Gavin finally slowed down with his food enough to talk, he filled the air with conversation, telling Ray about the new mine shaft he had discovered, his recent encounter with an Enderman that nearly got him killed, and how much of a pain it was to have to constantly travel back and forth to replenish his supplies. Ray sat there quietly, not speaking but listening to every word, nodding occasionally. Gavin wished he would interrupt him, tell him to stop complaining. He used to be so animated, but lately he seemed to have retreated into himself, his voice hardly rising above a loud murmur. They had all changed, after the incident, and seeing Ray so quiet and reclusive reminded Gavin of how they used to be. It was why his visits were never too frequent.

“I had a dream last night, about the Nether,” Gavin said, surprising himself. He hadn’t meant to bring it up, at least not so bluntly. Ray looked away from the window but otherwise did nothing. Gavin kept talking.

“It was really detailed, and I can still remember lots of it, which is weird, because usually I don’t remember my dreams at all. It was definitely some part of the Nether, and there was this castle sitting at the bottom of a bowl.”

Ray raised his eyebrows at the odd description. Gavin frowned and tried to explain himself.

“Not like, an actual bowl that you eat food out of. A bowl-shaped bit of land, what’s that called again?”

“A valley?”

“Yeah, that! Anyway, in this valley there was this enormous castle. I saw bits of the inside, lots of hallways and whatnot.”

“Weird, I guess. I just dream about boring stuff, like flying pigs and skeleton rave parties.”

Ray was making an attempt at humor. That was good. It made Gavin regret what he was going to say next.

“I . . . I saw something else too. In the dream,” Gavin said, his eyes darting around the room, unable to fully meet Ray’s. “In the castle, there was a room with a giant throne in it, and, there was a person sitting on top of it.”

“Some royal guy?”

“I think it was Ryan.”

At the very least, Ray didn’t immediately kick him out of the house, which was more than Gavin had expected. They’d both silently and mutually agreed that some things should never be spoken of, and that some names were best left forgotten. Gavin hated himself for bringing it up, but he had to talk to someone about it or he’d go mental.

Finally, after a long minute that felt like an hour to Gavin, Ray spoke.

“It was just a dream, Gavin. You can’t control what goes on in them. You used to dream about it all the time, you told me.”

It was true. In the months after the incident, Gavin had hardly been able to sleep for fear of being subjected to the nightmares that refused to leave him, punishing him for what had happened. The wild danger of the Nether, Ryan’s terrified face, and everything exploding around them.

“I know, but I haven’t had a dream like that in years, and this one felt . . . different. I dunno how to explain it, Ray, I just, I don’t know.”

Gavin lowered his head into his hands, his fingers running through his ridiculously long hair. He could feel Ray’s eyes on the back of his head but he didn’t look up. He wished he hadn’t come. He would have been better off in the caves where he belonged. Alone. Where he couldn’t hurt anybody.

Ray sighed.

“Look, man, we’ve been over this before. What happened, it wasn’t--”

“You’re right, we’ve been over this. Let’s drop it.”

“Are you--”

“Yes. I don’t know why I brought that up, it was just a dumb dream. I haven’t seen your bloody chicken around. Has Percival eaten it yet?”

Gavin stayed for a little longer, he and Ray discussing superficial things like the weather in their respective biomes or the recent increase in the aggressiveness of wolf packs. Finally, wanting to get back home before sundown, Gavin stood up to leave.

“Thanks for the chat and the eats. Speaking of which . . .” Gavin grinned and held out one of the empty pouches he kept tied at his waist. Ray rolled his eyes but made his way to the chest where he stored all of his food.

“You’re such a fucking freeloader, you know that?”

“Cheers, Ray.”

Gavin left the house with his bag filled with fruits, vegetables, and a few loaves of bread. Ray told him for the dozenth time that he would be better off building a garden somewhere, but such things weren’t exactly sustainable where he lived, and if Gavin had to travel to get food, he might as well go to somewhere where it was already picked and washed for him.

He reached the caves just as the sun was beginning to set, and hurried inside before the light faded enough to allow the monsters to wander free of their daytime shelters. When he reached the small hut he had built into one of the outlying caverns, he tossed the bag of food carelessly into the corner and collapsed onto his bed, ready to sleep. The long journeys to and from Ray’s house always left him knackered, and after their lackluster conversation he just wanted to sleep. Hopefully in the morning he would forget the dream and could get back to doing whatever it was he had been doing for the past four years.

As he drifted off to sleep, Gavin had no way of knowing that, contrary to what he might want, the dreams were only beginning, and would be the spark that, after years of stasis and seclusion, would change everything. For all of them.


	3. Dreams of Visions

_It was hot. Unbelievably hot. Every time Gavin tried to get his bearings, another explosion would hit, launching thick chunks of netherrack into the air. He had carved a small indentation into a cliff and was hiding there, trying to figure a way out of this mess and back to the portal. But every time he psyched himself up to make a run for it, something else would blow up, sending him retreating back into his makeshift shelter. This had been a horrible idea, what could he possibly have been thinking? He was alone, trapped, and scared out of his fucking mind._

_“Gavin, where are you?”_

_Ryan’s voice sounded out over the chaos. Gavin had no idea he’d been followed but was grateful to have someone else in here with him. He peeked out of the narrow opening and spotted Ryan sliding down the side of a steep slope, an enchanted bow clutched in his hand and a quiver-full of arrows slung over his shoulder. Gavin cheered at the sight of the weapon--he’d lost his iron sword a long time ago when the blazes had attacked, and a good portion of his clothing and skin along with it. He could barely feel the pain from the burns, though. His adrenaline was pumping far too much for him to feel much of anything._

_“Over here!” he called out, waving Ryan down. The other man spotted him and sprinted in his direction. Behind him, the blazes Gavin had escaped earlier suddenly rose into view. “Watch out, the fireballs!”_

_Ryan glanced over his shoulder and swore, diving behind a small outcropping of rock just as the flaming projectiles exploded where he had been moments before. Peeking out over the rock, Ryan took careful aim with his bow. Fortunately, he was a great shot, probably the best out of all of them, and every arrow he sent out found its mark. But the creatures of the Nether were far stronger than the ones on the surface, and it took six arrows to destroy the two blazes, leaving Ryan with only a handful left. He turned and continued in Gavin’s direction, reaching him just as something else exploded above them, sending fiery debris raining down on them._

_“Dammit, we have to get out of here!” Ryan shouted over the noise, squeezing into the narrow space to shield himself from above. Gavin had never seen him look so afraid. Why had he been so stupid as to come in here alone? The others were right, he was just a coward. He hoped he would be able to see his friends again so they could mock him for being an empty-headed, moronic twat. He wanted to survive this._

_“Where’s the portal?” Gavin shouted. It hadn’t taken very long to get lost in this world where everything looked the same and was equally on fire._

_“Back the way I came, follow me!” Ryan said, and after a quick check of their surroundings, bolted out from the safety of the cliff and began running back up the slope he had come down. Gavin followed him, his head jerking back and forth as he tried to watch out for anything sneaking up behind them. When they reached the top of the hill, Ryan led Gavin to a narrow bridge that spanned a deep gorge. Gavin looked down and wished he hadn’t. There was more lava than solid rock down there. He wondered what would be worse, melting in the molten pit or liquifying all of his bones on impact._

_Slowly, they made their way across the bridge. They were completely exposed--if another blaze showed up, it would have no problem finishing them off. Gavin forced himself to stare at the back of Ryan’s head and before he knew it they were across, Ryan taking him up yet another hill. On top of everything else in this godforsaken place, there were very few flat spaces in the Nether, making travel across it a real effort. When they reached the top, Gavin saw that the surface jutted out over the lava ocean, narrowing down to a tiny point upon which sat a black rectangle that framed a purple, undefined substance._

_“I see it!” he cried, and they both ran for the portal, Gavin immensely relieved that he was going to make it home after all. They were going to get out of here._

_That’s when he saw the ghast rising up over the side. It was huge, bigger than Ray’s house in Achievement City. Despite its size, it seemed harmless enough, just a really big, white squid. But the danger of the ghast came from within. The massive creature opened its mouth and launched a ball of fire the size of Gavin’s head at them. It struck just behind them, creating a violent explosion that threw them to the ground._

_“Go on ahead, I’ll hold it off!” Ryan yelled, already back on his feet and pulling one of his few remaining arrows from behind his back._

_“I’m not leaving you behind!”_

_“GO!”_

_Gavin took off, praying that Ryan would be right behind him. It was only a few dozen metres to the portal, and Gavin reached it quickly. Before he stepped in, he looked back. Ryan was hot on his heels, completely out of arrows. He was yelling something, gesturing for Gavin to get into the portal, but Gavin could only stare at the giant ghast behind him. The ghast that had just launched another fireball._

_“Ryan, look out!”_

_And then everything collapsed around him. Gavin was vaguely aware of being flung backwards into the portal, the images of the Nether swirling around him. His ears were ringing so badly he couldn’t even hear his own voice as he shouted Ryan’s name. Then the portal collapsed, and everything went dark._

Gavin awoke abruptly, breathing hard and covered in sweat. Once he had reacquainted himself with his surroundings, he groaned and leaned back in his bed, pressing his palms against his eyeballs hard enough that fuzzy sparks floated through his vision. It had been a long time since he’d had those dreams. This one had been familiar, but just as unwanted as the previous night’s. Hoping to get his mind off the subject, Gavin got out of bed and, after a quick breakfast of roasted potatoes and a cookie, returned to the new mine shaft to see what he could find. If he was entirely honest with himself, Gavin wasn’t entirely sure why he continued to dig for new materials and ores. He didn’t need to build anything, aside from forging new weapons and tools when the old ones wore out and broke, and there were no nearby villages to trade with. Still, it was something to do.

Fighting his way through a handful of thick cobwebs (his shears had broken and he didn’t want to have to go all the way back to craft a new one), Gavin tried to clear his head. But the monotonous chore of hacking away at the sticky strings allowed his mind to wander instead, and it couldn’t help straying to events long past.

It had all been so perfect, once. The seven of them living together in a city they had built themselves, sometimes exploring, sometimes working towards a common goal, but mostly just doing whatever the hell they wanted. The world had been theirs to play with, and they had such loads of fun. Ray had lived in even shittier conditions than he did now, but when it came to contests and challenges none of them could come close to beating him. Geoff was usually the one in charge of coming up with the day’s antics, though he rarely participated in them himself, preferring to watch from the sidelines. Jack would surprise them all occasionally by pulling a big win out of his arse, and he was the second-easiest person to get a rise out of, which Gavin had loved doing on a daily basis.

The honor of the shortest-tempered among them went to Michael, of course. Gavin always knew exactly which buttons to push to piss Michael off. It was amazing how quickly he could go from calmly speaking to full-out screaming at the top of his lungs. Gavin loved making Michael mad, because in seconds Michael would start laughing and everyone else would join in because they were friends and that’s just how things worked with them.

Out of everyone, Michael’s departure had hurt him the most. He knew Michael had gone with Lindsay to the jungle biome, but Ray was the only one Michael still kept in touch with. Gavin had wanted to try to reconnect a few times, but he figured that if Michael didn’t want to talk to him, it was better they didn’t meet. That’s just the way things were now.

Gavin finally worked his way through the cobwebs, annoyed by how much damage they had done to his pickaxe. His left shoulder ached but the pain would soon fade as always. There was a chest at the end of the tunnel filled with all sorts of gubs. Gavin sifted through, choosing what to carry with him and what to come back for later. He picked up a shiny, new iron pickaxe, a couple of apples, and a handful of iron ingots. He’d have to come back for the rest later, maybe with a mine cart. He returned to his home base and went into a side room he used for storage. Inside were dozens of chests, organized into rows of minerals, ores, and other materials. He added his latest finds to their respective places, where they would sit and collect dust until the end of time. It all just seemed so . . . pointless.

Gavin stared at the rows of chests for a long time. Then he turned to head back to the mineshaft to clear out the rest of the chest.

_The Mad King sat gracefully upon his throne, surveying his kingdom with the use of an enchanted Ender Eye. The years he had spent in solitude had taught him many things about the secrets of the world. His world._

_“My liege?”_

_The King looked up from visions of terror and beasts far beyond the human comprehension to gaze dispassionately at the small man cowering before him._

_“There has been some trouble with the experiment. Kdin isn’t reacting--”_

_“I’ve warned you before not to interrupt me, Kerry.”_

_The man kneeling on the floor flinched as if struck._

_“Forgive me, my liege, I only meant--”_

_“It matters not what you meant, only what you have done. And what you have done is distracted me from my thoughts. And you know how dangerous it is to let my mind wander, don’t you?”_

_The man, already fair-skinned, lost what little color remained in his face._

_“Please, the situation below is spiraling out of control. The subject is completely volatile and if we do not contain it--”_

_The King rose from his throne, while the man below crouched, petrified._

_“Why does it seem that I am always the one cleaning up your mistakes,” the King said as he walked slowly down the steps of the throne and approached the man who stared at the ground, desperate not to make eye contact. “When I’ve finished with the dragon, it will be your turn.”_

_“No, no please!”_

_“You’ve lost the privilege of your humanity and my prices are steep. Refuse to comply, and they will become steeper. Do you understand me?”_

_“Yes . . . my liege.”_

Gavin did not sleep well over the next few weeks. When he was not plagued by remembrances he was confused by visions of places and people he had never seen before. Except for one. With each new unconscious trip into the Nether, the face of his old friend became clearer, until there was no doubt that it was Ryan he saw sitting on that throne. It made no sense, and it frustrated Gavin because he couldn’t do anything to stop the dreams from coming. He tried to stay awake as long as possible, hoping to stave off the dreams by forgoing sleep altogether. But the fifth time he nearly fell into a lava pool because he had drifted off, Gavin knew he had to try something else. Perhaps if he faced what he saw head-on, he could find out why the nightmares had returned after all these years.

Gavin had never been one for meditation. Frankly, he found it boring, and useless, and something that he didn’t have time for. He preferred to get his energy out by _doing_ stuff, not sitting around humming to himself. But desperate times etc. etc.

Gavin laid down on his bed, trying to relax his muscles, breathing in and out in slow, deep breaths. This time, as he felt himself slipping away, he didn’t try to fight the dreams and let them come.

_The lowest level of the castle stretched deep into the bowels of the land, so low that the floors felt warm to the touch from the heat from the ocean of lava that throbbed at the Nether’s core. Few ever entered this part of the King’s palace, and far fewer left it. Thick bedrock separated it from the surface. It prevented the screams from being heard._

_The King made his way to the bottommost containment of his dungeons, though he would prefer to think of them as research labs, for it was here where he spent much of his time . . . experimenting._

_Multiple layers of bedrock coated his most secure facility, but the King could still hear the roars that seemed to shake the air itself. Behind him, Kerry shuddered at the sounds of the beast. The King, however, showed quite a different face, one with sharp eyes and a crazed smile._

_“The results are even better than I expected. He’s getting stronger.”_

_Kerry watched as the King entered the room alone to confront the dragon. The enchanted obsidian doors would ensure that no one else would enter while he was inside. Either the King would return, or the dragon would starve to death inside. But Kerry never doubted that those doors would open again._

_“Please,” he whispered, as the beast’s roars of fury turned into cries of pain, “please, help us. Help us._

_“Help us, Gavin.”_

 

Gavin’s eyes flew open, his breath quick. He wondered if it was healthy to keep waking up with an accelerated heart rate. Probably not. Slowly, Gavin brought himself back under control, though his heart continued to race.

These were not ordinary dreams, there was no doubt about that now. Gavin had never seen the face of the man who seemed to serve the Mad King. Kerry, he had been called. And he was certain that Kerry had spoken directly to him.

_Help us, Gavin._

These were not dreams. They were visions.

 

“Ray! Ray, wake up!”

Gavin pounded on the door, not caring if anything out there heard him. It was a bit late for that anyway.

“Ray there are two zombies, four skeletons, a creeper, and an arseload of spiders behind me. _Open the damn door!_ ”

The door swung open and Gavin fell face-first onto the floor. Groaning and holding a hand up to his nose, he rolled over to see Ray standing over him, looking tired, surprised, and increasingly annoyed.

“Dude, what the hell?” Ray said, pulling Gavin to his feet. “You know better than to be out on the plains at night. What are you even doing here?”

“I’m getting dream messages from a man named Kerry who’s living in the Nether palace and working for Ryan who’s gone insane and may or may not have a giant dragon in his basement.”

Ray stared at Gavin for a solid minute.

“Fuck this, I’m going back to bed.”

“Wha--, Ray!”

“I am way too tired to deal with any of your shit right now,” Ray said, collapsing back onto his bed. “You can chill out on the floor, and we’ll deal with your mental breakdown in the morning.”

“But--”

“No. Sleep. Now.”

But Gavin couldn’t sleep. There was no way in the Overworld he could possibly relax because now that he knew that the dreams weren’t dreams he could tell Ray, tell everyone the news he had risked his life traveling in the middle of the night to deliver.

“Ryan’s alive, Ray.”

When Ray didn’t respond, Gavin thought he had already fallen back to sleep. He was about to repeat himself, louder, when Ray spoke up in a soft voice.

“Don’t say stuff like that, man. Don’t do that to yourself.”

“But I know he is. I saw him!”

“We looked, Gavin. We searched for him over and over until we couldn’t do it anymore. There’s no way he survived in the Nether that long. It’s taken me a long time to accept that Ryan’s gone. It’s time you did too.”

And without another word, Ray rolled over onto his side, his back facing Gavin. Gavin took it as a sign that Ray didn’t want to talk about this anymore. Fine, Gavin would give him the rest of the night. But when the sun rose, they had to talk about this. About what he had seen.

Because if Ryan really was alive in the Nether, they had to go in and save him


	4. Welcome to the Jungle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite chapters so far. Thanks to everyone who has left a kudo or a comment, they really mean a lot and they make my day. Hope you all enjoy this next installment!

“Ray, are you up yet? Ray? Are you awake now? Ray?”

“If you say my name one more fucking time, I’m going to kill you.”

“Oh top, you’re up.”

“And here I was hoping you were just a bad dream,” Ray said, sitting up and yawning. “Why am I always the one who has to deal with your drama?”

“Because you’re the only person who will still talk to me.”

“Shit,” Ray mumbled, rubbing at the back of his neck. Gavin adjusted himself against the wall, his backside aching from sitting on the hard wooden boards all night. They stared at each other, Gavin hoping that Ray would say something first. In the end, Ray came through for him, just like he always did.

“Alright, lay it on me. What did you see?”

Gavin described everything in as much detail as he could, especially the parts that had Ryan in them. Ray listened intently, not saying a word. When Gavin finished, he waited for Ray to nod, to agree to charge into the Nether and get back their friend. When Ray did speak, however, it wasn’t what Gavin was hoping to hear.

“I want to believe you, Gavin. I know you think you’re telling the truth, and I wish that Ryan was somehow still out there, but you just can’t know that. Not for sure.”

“But, Ray--”

“I can’t go back there. Especially not after what happened to Jack. Maybe if we had the whole gang together again, but that’s never going to happen.”

Ray shook his head and got out of bed. He made to head for the door, probably to check that there were no monsters lingering under the shade of his house.

“What if we did?”

“What?”

“What if I could get everyone back and we went into the Nether together? We’ve been there before, so we’ll know to come prepared, and I’ll know exactly where to go so we won’t be searching blindly--”

“Gavin, you can’t--”

“Why not?” Gavin shouted, throwing his arms out in exasperation. “What’s to stop me? If there’s a chance that Ryan is still out there, the others deserve to know.”

Ray groaned something that sounded suspiciously like ‘why me?’ Then he sighed and looked at Gavin.

“I can tell you where Michael is. The others you’re on your own for, I have no idea where they went. Maybe Michael or Lindsay can give you an idea where to start.”

“Have you talked with Michael? Since . . . since it happened?”

“Once or twice. Are you sure you want to do this? He may not be happy to see you.”

“Nah, he’s my boi. We’ll work it out,” Gavin said with far more confidence than he felt. In truth, he was sure Michael would slam the door in his face the second he showed up on his doorstep.

“If you’re going to do this, you should leave now. Michael settled deep within the jungle biome, it’ll take a full day to reach him _if_ you hurry. I’ll give you a map and some supplies that should last you the trip and back.”

“You’re not coming with me, are you?”

“I’m sorry, Gavin,” Ray said, lifting the aforementioned items out of his chests and stuffing them into a cloth bag. “Really, I am. But I just can’t do this stuff anymore. Nothing’s been the same since we lost Ryan. Even if you are right about all this and you somehow manage to get him back, I don’t think things can go back to how they used to be.”

Gavin took the bag from him. It was heavy, but years of chipping away at stone had given him muscles he didn’t have before. He slung it over his right shoulder, testing out its weight. It was fine, he could carry it.

“I can’t believe that, Ray. I’ve got to think it’s not too late for us.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Gavin said goodbye and set off in the direction he thought Ray’s map indicated.

“Bollocks, hang on.”

Gavin abruptly switched directions, now headed the proper way. He waved again at Ray who was watching him from the doorway.

“Dumbass,” Ray muttered, watching him go. He continued to watch Gavin until his tiny figure had completely faded into the horizon. And even after that, he kept watching just a little longer.

 

_When Gavin came to, he was lying on the floor inside Portal House. His ears were still ringing from the blast, so that at first he did not hear Michael’s voice calling out to him._

_“Gavin? Gavin! Shit what happened? Guys, get over here! Gavin made it out of the portal!”_

_Gavin rolled his head to the side and from his slanted perspective saw the three other Achievement Hunters run up to him from across the room._

_“Just breathe man, breathe,” Ray said, kneeling down beside Michael, his hands shaking slightly as he took in Gavin’s physical state. Now that the immediate fear of death was no longer lurking in his system, Gavin could feel the beginnings of the pain throb in his charred shoulder. Geoff, however, was less comforting._

_“The fuck were you thinking? Oh wait, that’s right, you weren’t! Otherwise you wouldn’t have gone into the Nether by yourself! You’re lucky you’re not dead you fucking moronic dumbass!”_

_Gavin winced as the ringing in his ears faded only to be replaced by Geoff’s shouting. His shoulder was really starting to hurt now._

_“Gavin,” Jack said quietly, his voice somehow cutting through Geoff’s anger, “where’s Ryan?” Gavin winced and shook his head. Michael frowned and looked at Ray. Gavin didn’t want to see any of it, especially not their faces when he told them what had happened._

_“He said he was going after you,” Jack said, but Gavin didn’t have the words to tell him what had happened. Instead, he lifted his right arm and pointed towards the charred remains of the portal. The one that he had just barely managed to get through before it was destroyed by the ghast._

_“He’s not--He’s not still in there?” Ray asked. As pale as he had been when Gavin had stumbled out of the portal, he was even worse now. He and the others stared at the empty frame of obsidian, as if hoping Ryan would somehow materialize out of nowhere._

_“The fuck happened in there? The portal’s gone!” Michael yelled._

_“Gavin . . . where’s Ryan?” Geoff wasn’t shouting anymore, but somehow that made things worse. Gavin shook his head again, and as he did so felt hot tears slide down from his eyes. He closed them, so he wouldn’t have to see any of their faces, but when he did all he saw was Ryan’s horrified face as the fireball hurtled towards him._

_“No . . .” Geoff stumbled towards the remains of the portal, reaching out to the space that should have linked the two worlds but was now just empty air. He turned around to face the others, who were all staring at him._

_“Jack, get Gavin medical attention. Michael, Ray, we need to fix the portal, immediately.”_

 

Gavin hated the jungle. It was humid, had vines everywhere, and he was pretty sure an ocelot had been stalking him for the past ten minutes. Naturally, out of all the biomes he could have picked to settle down in, Michael had to choose the terrain that was as aggressive and untamable as he was.

“Bollocking hell!” Gavin yelled, as he tripped over yet another vine that snaked across the mossy floor. He could barely walk three feet without running into some obstacle that he had to either climb over or hack his way through. Gavin sorely wished he had brought a bucket of lava along so he could burn the whole damn thing down. Still, according to Ray’s map, he wasn’t too far from Michael. If he kept this pace up, he should be able to get there before nightfall. At least he hoped so. Night on the plains was bad enough. In the jungle, it was a death sentence.

Gavin trudged on, nearly poking his eye out on a low-hanging branch he hadn’t noticed. He was just about to snap off the offending twig in pure frustration when an arrow embedded itself in the tree trunk directly next to his face.

In addition to the regular challenges of the land, there was one other reason why the jungle was considered the most dangerous place to live. A jungle, by definition, had a lot of tall trees, which produced a canopy of leaves that often blocked out most of the sun. Leaving the majority of its surface in shadow. And the shadows were where the monsters lived.

Looking to his right, Gavin saw a skeleton sheltered under a massive tree, lifting another arrow to its crossbow in order to fire again. Before it could take proper aim, Gavin flung himself to the left, hoping to find cover behind the tree trunk. He cursed himself for not bringing a bow along. Swords could still kill a skeleton, of course, but you had to get close to it first.

Gavin could feel the thunk of another arrow as it struck the tree he was hiding behind. He was going to have to make a move soon. That damn skeleton wasn’t going to go away on its own. Gavin peeked around the tree trunk and spotted a small patch of sunlight poking through the leaves above. If he could lure the skeleton into the sun, the bastard would catch on fire and Gavin could easily take him out. Simple.

Gavin took a deep breath, darted out from behind the tree, and promptly tripped over a giant vine. He hit the ground hard, scraping both palms and banging his nose a little.

“God dammit!” Gavin yelled as he went down. Now he was sprawled on his stomach, exposed in the open, just perfect for the skeleton to pick him off. Gavin struggled to scramble to his feet but knew it would be too late. He could only hope that the skeleton was a really crap shot--

“Fuck off, bones!”

Gavin’s head jerked upwards at the familiar voice. A voice he had not heard in four years. Above him, a man dressed in a bearskin was fighting off the skeleton, which fell almost instantly to the warrior’s diamond sword. As the creature collapsed into a pile of bones and arrows, Gavin slowly got to his feet. The man stood with his back facing Gavin, panting as though he had just run a long distance.

“Michael?” Gavin said softly, his stomach twisting into uncomfortable knots at the sight of his friend. A friend who, last he saw him, had never wanted to speak to him again. The man turned around, and Gavin found himself face to face with Michael Jones.

Michael had changed a bit in the years they had been apart. Where Gavin had gotten slightly less scrawny in the interim Michael had gained some serious muscles. He still wore the same bearskin that had given him his nickname, Mogar, complete with a bright blue satchel where he kept all his shit. He had gotten taller, almost as tall as Gavin now, and his hair, usually wild as a rule, had curled completely out of control. 

There was one change to his appearance, however, that Gavin recognized. From just below his right eye to the bottom of his chin, a thick, crooked white scar blemished Michael’s face, a testament from the last of their many rescue attempts in the Nether. Gavin looked at the scar and the guilt washed over him afresh, his excitement and joy at seeing his friend again abated by memories of their last meeting. Michael hadn’t even bothered to say goodbye, which Gavin found he was grateful for, given a few years of hindsight.

They stared at each other for a long time. Gavin waited for Michael to say something. Anything.

“You look like shit, dude.”

Gavin couldn’t help it. He grinned, more widely than he had done in a long time.

“Yeah, well, I’m not the one wearing a dead animal on my head.”

“Hey, don’t disrespect the bear.”

They stood in awkward silence for a few moments, the banter that had once flowed so easily between them abruptly cut off.

“I can’t believe you live all the way out here,” Gavin said finally. “Don’t you get tired of fighting off monsters all the time?”

“Keeps me busy,” Michael shrugged as he returned his sword to its sheath on his back.

“I bet you live in a dump,” Gavin said, trying to recapture the humor of the insults they used to throw at each other. “I bet you were too lazy to build an actual house and have been living in a hole covered in leaves this entire time.”

“First off, fuck you and your assumptions. Secondly, what the fuck, man? I haven’t seen you in years and you suddenly show up in my territory, I save your fucking creeper-ass from a skeleton, and instead of thanking me you give me shit about my living conditions. You are such an asshole.”

Michael’s tone was harsh but he was smiling as he spoke. Gavin laughed.

“Well, why don’t you invite me back to your place and prove me wrong? Show me your fancy hole.”

“Hey, I’m married, remember? Only Lindsay gets to see my fancy hole.”

“You bloody well know what I meant!”

“You were shamelessly flirting with me. I feel tainted now,” Michael said as he started walking off in the direction Gavin had been heading before the encounter with the skeleton.

“You dumb pleb! I was just trying to, you’ve gone and turned it around on me! Michael? Michael!”

Gavin ran after Michael, who continued to laugh and tease him all the way back to his house.


	5. The Bear and the Bird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This interaction is probably one of the first scenes I had mapped out and sort of sparked the idea for this whole story. Hope you all enjoy!

They walked together for another fifteen minutes before Michael finally stopped.

“Here we are,” he said. “Home sweet home.”

Gavin stared. Michael was gesturing to a thick tree trunk that, while impressive in its size, didn’t seem to sport any doors or windows.

“So, do you live inside the tree or . . . ?”

Michael rolled his eyes.

“Look up, moron.”

Gavin craned his neck upwards and gasped. He couldn’t help it. The sight was just so unexpected.

“That’s right, I built me a treehouse, motherfucker!”

In the topmost branches of the tree nestled an enormous structure the likes of which had no business being so high up in the air. It was huge, maybe five times the size of Ray’s house. Although Gavin couldn’t see every detail from his position on the ground, he could see enough to be suitably impressed. The thing had _balconies_ , for Christ’s sakes.

“Still want to make fun of my house you judgmental prick?” Michael said, folding his arms over his chest and staring smugly at Gavin’s awe-filled face.

“Michael, that’s unbelievable!” Gavin cried. “You seriously built all that?”

“Well, Lindsay helped. A lot. With the design and all. But I did most of the manual labor. You wouldn’t believe how many goddamn trees I had to cut down for this thing. I had blisters on my hands for weeks.”

“But how do you get up there?” Gavin asked, peering around the sides of the tree trunk for a ladder or low-hanging vines.

“That was my idea,” Michael said, walking over to a small cluster of pumpkins nestled underneath the shadow of the treehouse. “Come over here, Gav.”

Gavin obligingly went to join him, and Michael removed several of the pumpkins to reveal a small, square metal platform underneath. He gestured for Gavin to stand on it, which Gavin did, though not without a slight bit of trepidation.

“Why do I feel like you’re about to drop me through the floor or something?” he grumbled nervously.

“Actually, I had something a little different in mind,” Michael said, reaching around Gavin towards a nearby tree. Gavin noticed there was a switch embedded in its bark. “Just remember to grab the vines when you get up there, or it’s going to be a long way back down.”

“What?” Gavin looked down at the platform and back at the switch in Michael’s hand. His eyes widened as the realization hit him. “Michael, wait--”

“And, _launch_!” Michael yelled, flipping the switch.

The platform sprung upwards, catapulting Gavin into the air. He shot straight up, directly towards the base of the treehouse, screaming the entire way.

_“Michael, you bastard!”_

When his trajectory started to slow, Gavin thankfully had the presence of mind to grab at one of the long vines draped over the side of the balcony. Wanting to have solid footing beneath him as soon as possible, Gavin climbed up and over the railing, where he lay on the wooden deck, panting and embracing the steady structure supporting him.

“I thought I heard you shrieking. I had no idea your voice could even go that high.”

Gavin looked up to see another old friend standing in the doorway to the treehouse, hands on her hips and smiling at him. Red feathers decorated her shoulders and extended down to her fingertips, giving her the illusion of wings. Her hair was even redder and shorter than Gavin remembered, only just brushing the tops of her shoulders. Unlike Michael, Gavin and Lindsay had parted on good terms. Well, as good as things could be under the circumstances. She didn’t blame him for what had happened, though she hadn’t been smiling when they’d said goodbye. Gavin knew how close Lindsay had been with Ryan. He was glad she had found reasons to smile again.

“Long time no see, huh?” Lindsay said, walking over to greet him properly. Gavin tried to stand up but his legs didn’t seem ready to support him just yet.

“Gavin, what’s wrong? Why are you so pale? Are you scared of heights or--ohh. God dammit, Michael, did you send him up through the piston? I made that fucking rope ladder for a reason!”

Gavin looked over his shoulder to see Michael swinging his legs over the side of the balcony, just barely managing to keep it together long enough to climb to safety.

“Fuck you that was fucking hysterical!” Michael roared, clutching at his sides and leaning against the railing for support. “You should have seen his fucking face! Oh my god I can’t breathe . . .”

“Asshole,” Lindsay said, but Gavin caught her grinning and didn’t appreciate it.

“I come all this way to visit you, and next thing I know I’m being launched into the air like a god damn rocket ship,” he grumbled, shakily getting to his feet. “If you’re just going to laugh at my misery, I’ll go back home.”

“Yeah? And how are you going to get down?” Michael said.

Gavin opened his mouth but then shut it, having no good answer to give.

“Relax, you big baby,” Michael said, straightening up and putting a hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “Come on, I’ll give you the tour.”

He escorted Gavin inside, Lindsay following. The treehouse was comprised of three levels: the first held the living area and the kitchen, which had its own extension with a miniature garden where carrots and potatoes were growing. Upstairs was Michael and Lindsay’s room, and a small library filled with trophies and knick-knacks they had collected over the years. Gavin spotted a couple of zombie heads and several full-sets of diamond armor.

“Do you ever use that?” he asked.

“Nah, nothing in the jungle is that tough,” Michael said. “But we gotta do something with all the shit we dig up. Lindsay wants to build a second house completely made out of diamond.”

“It would be the shiniest and most badass thing for miles,” Lindsay said.

“And it would take us fifty fucking years to build.”

“It can be our retirement home.”

Michael laughed and made for a ladder that extended up to the third floor. “C’mon, Gavin, I want to show you something.”

Lindsay stayed below while Gavin followed Michael up the ladder.

“So d’you like living here? In the hot and sweaty jungle?” Gavin asked as they climbed.

“It’s not too bad once you get used to it. It’s not some boring stretch of flowers and nothing like where Ray is.”

Michael crawled through a trapdoor built into the ceiling, pulling Gavin up after him. They were on an open platform at the very top of the treehouse. The cool night air brushed against Gavin’s skin and gave him goosebumps. Michael gestured outwards.

“Plus, the view is pretty sweet.”

Gavin had to agree. The treehouse looked out over the tops of all the other trees, providing a clear view straight to the horizon. The sun had long set by this point, but the stars were absolutely incredible. Gavin wasn’t sure when he had last seen the stars, living underground and always careful to be inside before nightfall. Stargazing wasn’t exactly his thing either. Staring up at the incredible expanse of tiny lights had always made him feel so damn small.

“It’s good to see you again, Gavin,” Michael said.

“Yeah, you too,” Gavin said. “I hope you’re still happy to see me after I tell you why I came.”

They returned to the first level of the treehouse, where Lindsay had set out some food for them.

“Never was a huge fan of chocolate-chip,” Gavin said, picking up a cookie.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to find the ingredients for baked goods in the jungle?” Lindsay said. “Eat that cookie, bitch, and be grateful for it.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Michael said, grabbing a handful and leaning back into the couch. Gavin took a bite, then put the rest down. He was too nervous to eat anyway. His reunion with Michael so far had gone much better than he’d expected, but he had a feeling things were about to take a different turn.

“So, Gavin,” Lindsay said, as if reading his mind, “what brings you to our neck of the jungle?”

Gavin took a deep breath.

“There’s not an easy way to say this, so I’m just going to say it.”

“That makes sense,” Michael snorted, though the easy smile had slipped from his face.

“I think Ryan is still alive. In the Nether. And I want to go after him.”

The comfortable mood that had settled around them evaporated instantly. Lindsay put a hand to her mouth, her eyes darting between Gavin and Michael, the latter of whom had lost all traces of the humor Gavin had been so happy to see still in him. The face he wore now was the face of the man who had left one of his best friends without even saying goodbye.

“Michael--”

“No. Shut up.” Michael stood up from the couch and began to pace, though instead of calming him down it only seemed to work him up even more. Lindsay watched him with nervous eyes, though Gavin could tell from her shaking hands that she, too, had been badly affected by what he had said.

“Michael, I know it sounds like absolute rubbish, but it’s true. I’ve been having these dreams--”

“Dreams?” Lindsay interrupted.

“Well, more like visions,” Gavin said.

“Oh, so he’s a fucking psychic now, is he?” Michael said, his voice getting louder by the word.

“Gavin, what do you mean by ‘visions’? Where do they come from?” Lindsay asked.

“I’m not sure exactly. They just sort of happen when I’m asleep. I think this bloke named Kerry is sending them. He wants my help because Ryan’s . . . he’s not doing well. I think he’s gone a bit mad.”

“He’s not the only one,” Michael said. “I can’t believe you. After all this time, when we can finally start patching things up again, you bring this shit up? What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Gavin yelled back. “What’s wrong with you? Ryan is alive! That’s fantastic news! It means that we can still save him! We can get him back!”

“Fuck you, man. I can’t believing you’re fucking doing this.”

“Gavin,” Lindsay said. “You can’t be sure that what you’ve been seeing aren’t just dreams. Ray said you used to have nightmares all the time--”

“Oh he shared that, did he?” Gavin said. “Bloody little prick.”

“I’m just saying, it’s natural that you would want him back. We all do. But we have to accept that Ryan’s gone. What happened was a terrible accident, but there’s nothing that any of us could have done.”

“You sure about that?” Michael muttered, almost to himself. Lindsay frowned.

“What are you on about?” Gavin said.

“Michael,” Lindsay warned, but Michael was past heeding her.

“What I’m ‘on about,’ Gavin, is the fact that if you hadn’t been so fucking stupid as to try and brave the Nether on your own, Ryan wouldn’t have had to go in after you, and he would still be here.”

“Michael that isn’t fair,” Lindsay started to say, but Gavin interrupted her.

“You think I don’t know that? Are you mental? I think about that every goddamn day. If I had done something different, if I had told him go into the portal first instead. And in four years, all that wondering hasn’t done me a damn bit of good. But now there’s a chance to fix all that, to make up for what I did. And you’re an idiot if you don’t think I’m going to take it.”

They all stared at each other in silence for several minutes, unable to move forwards.

“I think you should go now, Gavin,” Michael said at last. “Sun’s almost up. You can be back at Ray’s by noon.”

“But, Michael--”

“I’ll show you how to get back down.”

Gavin looked to Lindsay for support, but she only shook her head and left the room. Reluctantly, Gavin followed Michael back outside. The stars had faded into a pink sky that grew brighter as the sun rose. It was another sight that Gavin rarely saw these days, but he couldn’t bring himself to appreciate it. Michael brought him over to a trapdoor in the floor of the balcony, below which extended a rope ladder that Michael released so that it uncurled to the ground. Gavin looked at the ladder and then back up at Michael.

“Come with me, Michael. I don’t want to go in there alone again. I need your help.”

Michael only shook his head.

“Things aren’t like they used to be. We’re not friends anymore.”

“But, Michael. You’re my boi.” Gavin reached inside his shirt and pulled out a tiny creeper head that was attached to a silver chain around his neck. It was a gift from Michael, back when things had been better. Michael had had a diamond necklace to match. It was a symbol of their friendship. It said that they had each other’s backs, no matter what. Michael looked at the necklace before turning his back on Gavin and retreating into his home.

“I’m not your boi anymore, Gavin,” he said, and disappeared inside, shutting the door behind him.

Gavin stared at the closed door for a long time. Then he turned and headed down the ladder.


	6. The Ties We Severed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who has left comments or kudos on this. I don't reply to most but I do read them all and they make my day. :) Enjoy!

“Gavin, hold up a second!”

Gavin turned back to see Lindsay running after him. Not wanting her to start yelling at him as well, he almost walked away, but when she caught up with him she had only one thing to say.

“Are you really going to go after him? By yourself?”

“I have to,” Gavin said. “It’s my fault he’s there in the first place. So I’m going, even if no one else will go with me.”

Lindsay rolled her eyes.

“You’re such an idiot.”

“Cheers. I really needed to hear that.”

“Last time you went into the Nether by yourself bad things happened for everyone,” Lindsay said. “So do me a favor, if you can help it, don’t go in alone. Losing Ryan was bad enough. We don’t want to lose you, too.”

“I don’t think Michael would mind very much.”

“He forgave you a long time ago, you know. I think he’s just angry at himself for not finding Ryan, and then having to give up on him.”

“You really think that’s how he feels?”

“It’s how I do. The way I see it, if Ryan hadn’t gone after you, we probably would have lost you instead, and that doesn’t seem like a better alternative to me.”

Gavin didn’t say anything. He wasn’t so sure he agreed, but it was comforting to hear it from Lindsay, given her strong friendship with Ryan.

“I’ll see what I can do about Michael’s shitty attitude,” she said. “In the meantime, give me your map.”

Gavin handed over the parchment Ray had given him. Lindsay took it and indicated for him to turn around. When he did so, she used his back as a table as she scribbled something on it.

“If you’re going to do something stupid, the least I can do is try and make sure you don’t do it alone,” she said as she lifted the map away from Gavin and handed it back to him. Gavin saw a giant _J_ marked over a section of the forest biome. “This is where Jack’s hanging out these days. I don’t know if he’d be willing to help you, but it’s worth a shot, right?”

Gavin stared at the letter _J_ and felt his stomach twist into knots.

“I doubt Jack gives a toss about what I do,” he said.

“You might be surprised.” Lindsay nodded towards the northern horizon. “Anyway, you’d better get going. It’s a bitch of a walk but you should be able to get there before sundown.”

“Alright, thanks, Lindsay,” Gavin said. Lindsay gave him a quick hug before stepping away.

“Good luck,” she said. Gavin was almost out of sight before he heard her calling out.

“You better come back! I’ll have an assload of chocolate chip cookies waiting for you!”

Gavin raised a hand in response, and when he looked back, Lindsay had disappeared between the trees.

 

_“Any sign of him?” Geoff called out over the roars of the fire. It was their third rescue attempt into the Nether, and so far it was just as successful as the first two had been._

_“This is pointless, we don’t even know where to look!” Jack yelled as in the distance something else exploded. “The portal didn’t land us in the same place Gavin was, and Ryan could be anywhere by now.”_

_“So what, you want to give up on him?” Geoff accused._

_“Obviously not! But we don’t have a plan. We’re just searching blindly at this point, and risking all our lives in the process!”_

_“Gavin, does any of this look familiar to you?” Geoff asked. Gavin, who was standing by his side, his shoulder and a good portion of the rest of him wrapped in heavy bandages, shook his head._

_“I don’t think so, but the landscape changes so bloody much, it’s hard to tell.” Geoff had been deeply against Gavin going back into the Nether, especially with his injuries. But Gavin refused to just sit around at home, waiting while the others were out there. He knew he wasn’t doing them any good, though, and was probably more of a burden right now than a help._

_Just then, Michael and Ray reappeared from scouting ahead. Gavin’s stomach dropped when he saw that Michael was clutching at his face which was covered in blood, Ray supporting him as they hurried back to the group._

_“Fucking zombie pigmen got us,” Michael said when he reached them. “They got me good.”_

_“We can’t stay out here much longer,” Ray said. “I saw a couple of ghasts on our way back up. We need to get moving or we’re barbecue.”_

_“You didn’t find anything?” Geoff asked, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. Ray hesitated before answering._

_“Dude, we can’t even last more than a few hours in here. It’s been three days. We might have to consider that Ryan isn’t out there anymore.”_

_“We can’t just fucking give up!” Michael yelled, despite the blood dripping over his chin and onto his chest._

_“Maybe he managed to build another portal,” Gavin said, but only half-heartedly. If Ryan had somehow made it back, he would have returned to them by now._

_“This is fucking messed up, man,” Geoff said. “Ray, take Michael back home. Take Gavin with you as well. Jack and I will take one last look around and then--”_

_But at that moment, the blazes attacked. Five of them, impossibly bright and spewing smoke as they drifted towards them. Maybe when they first arrived they could have taken them, but after hours of searching through the Nether, they were exhausted and their weapons were on the verge of breaking apart._

_“Fucking run!” Geoff yelled, and they took off back in the direction of the portal, the lads in front and Geoff and Jack hanging back to try and hold the blazes off, giving the injured as much of a head start as they could. Michael and Ray reached it first, jumping through and vanishing. Gavin was next, and he turned back to yell for the other two to hurry. The sense of déjà vu overwhelmed him, which is why he almost anticipated what happened next._

_Jack and Geoff were able fighters, but they couldn’t hold off five separate monsters at the same time. As they back towards the portal, the blazes kept sending fireball after fireball towards them. And eventually, one of them had to make its mark._

_Gavin watched, helpless, as Jack was hit and flung backwards into the air, spinning around like a rag doll before he landed in a crumpled heap, feet away from Gavin._

_“Shit!” Geoff yelled. “Jack!” He sprinted for the portal, no longer concerned about the blazes behind him. For a moment, Gavin stood paralyzed as yet another one of his friends was hurt because of him. His eyes wandered down Jack’s limp body and he wanted to throw up when he saw that--_

_“Gavin! Get your shit together and help me get him out of here!”_

_Gavin jumped to attention, running forward to grab Jack under his arms as Geoff reached them. Together, they carried Jack back to the portal as the blazes came ever closer. Gavin’s shoulder screamed with pain, but he kept pulling, the brief, morbid thought entering his brain that at least Jack was now lighter than usual. He felt sick again._

_And then they were in the portal, and the blazes were replaced with the familiar walls of the Portal House. Gavin hurried to the supplies chest, grabbing the bandages and potions that would help them deal with Jack’s injury. He rushed back to where Geoff had settled Jack on the ground and they got to work, doing what they could to stop the bleeding._

_“We can’t go back there,” Geoff said at last, his face pale and his hands shaking badly. “Not after this. Ray’s right, if all five of us can’t survive more than a day in the Nether, Ryan can’t either.”_

_Gavin looked from Jack’s unconscious body to Michael who was getting his head bandaged up by Ray. He knew Geoff was right. They couldn’t risk another trip, or they’d all wind up dead. But that didn’t make the feeling of failure hurt any less._

_It was official. They had given up on him._

 

Unlike Michael’s treehouse, Gavin felt no surprise when he laid eyes on where Jack lived. After all, the man had always had a gift for building houses.

Jack lived in what was essentially a wooden mansion, with at least three stories, a front porch, and a balcony on the second floor. Gavin had no doubt that inside there would be at least three different styles of staircases, and that the whole thing would be aesthetically pleasing as shit. He even had different kinds of woods in there for christ’s sakes--oak, birch, and some other reddish wood he didn’t even recognize.

Gavin stood there, admiring it, but then admitted to himself that yes, the house was nice and all, but really, he was just stalling.

 _Time to see how badly I mucked things up_ , Gavin thought. He walked up to the front door and rapped on it sharply with his knuckles. He waited for about twenty seconds and then knocked again. After about ten more seconds, he began pounding on the door non-stop.

“Jack! Open up you big, bearded bastard!”

Suddenly the door swung out from underneath his fists and Gavin nearly fell face-first into Jack.

“Gavin? The fuck are you doing here?”

Gavin stared up (christ, had the bastard gotten even taller?) at Jack, or at least the giant beard that made up half his face. The craftsman had abandoned his green and white shirt and red pants for simpler, moss green-colored garments that made him look like a cloths-man from medieval times. Of course, that wasn’t the biggest thing that had changed about his appearance.

Gavin couldn’t help it. His eyes flickered down to Jack’s left leg. Or at least, where the leg used to be. In its place stood a wooden substitute that Jack had carved out of dark oak. Despite himself, Gavin started to snicker.

“What’s so funny?” Jack frowned.

“Sorry, it’s just, with the beard and the peg leg and all, you look like a bloody pirate.”

Jack rolled his eyes.

“Why don’t you come in while I try to decide whether I’ve missed you or not.”

“Aw, don’t be like that, Jack. The new leg is lovely. Much better than your old one. You should do the other one so they can match.”

“Good to see you’re still a jackass.”

“And you’re still 90% beard.”

As Gavin had suspected, Jack’s house was even more impressive on the inside. The place had columns for god’s sake, bloody columns!

“Why can’t you be happy living in a dull box like the rest of us, Jack?” Gavin asked.

“Because I’m not a lazy bastard like the rest of you,” Jack said.

“Hey, this lazy bastard went of his damn way to see you.”

“And if the past four years of silence are any indication, that’s not a good thing.”

Jack escorted Gavin into a smaller room off the main entrance hall that looked like a deluxe suite at an exclusive log cabin hotel. In the back of his mind, Gavin considered how flammable the whole place was, but Jack used to get seriously minged off whenever Gavin burned his stuff down, so he nudged the thought away.

Jack sat back in a chair and propped his wooden leg onto a small stool. Gavin wondered if it hurt him sometimes, walking around on that thing.

“Why are you here, Gavin?”

“Not much for pleasantries anymore, huh, Jack?”

“No. Talk.”

Gavin sighed and took a seat opposite him on the couch.

“You’re not going to like what I have to say.”

“I already knew that the moment you showed up at my front door.”

So Gavin talked. He told Jack everything. About the dreams he’d been having, how he thought they were visions sent to him to show that Ryan was still alive but that he had become a dangerous man in the Nether. How he’d spoken to Ray and Michael and Lindsay about it all but they had all turned him away. None of them wanted to risk going into the Nether again, and he had no one left to ask. After he finished, Jack was silent for a long time. Gavin was itching for him to say something, but wisely decided to stay quiet. He knew he was on very tentative ground with Jack as it was.

“Just out of curiosity,” Jack said at last, “what did you think I was going to say after you told me all this?”

“Well,” Gavin said. “I figured you’d call me a right nutter, curse me for ruining your life, then kick me out immediately.”

“Not bad. If you had come to me with this story a few years ago, that’s definitely what I would have done.”

“But you’re not going to?”

“Four years is a long time to hold a grudge, Gavin. And it gets tiring after awhile. Sometimes you just have to let some things go.” Jack’s eyes drifted down to focus on his wooden leg. Gavin looked away.

“Look, I know what it sounds like, alright? Poor ol’ Gavin, torn up with guilt, living by himself for years finally goes off the deep end--”

“I believe you, Gavin.”

“What--are you serious?”

“After what happened, there’s no way you’d come see me about something you made up,” Jack said. “As for someone sending visions to you, it’s not entirely unheard of. Certain enchantments would make it possible.”

“So you’ll help me?” Gavin cried, standing up in his excitement. Jack put up his hand to stop him.

“I can’t just run into the Nether on the chance that Ryan _might_ still be alive.” Jack continued over Gavin’s protests. “You don’t know the person who’s been sending you these visions. For all you know, it could be a trap of some kind to lure you into the Nether.”

“Why on Earth would anyone do that? Especially someone I’ve never met?”

“I don’t know, but my point is there are too many variables in this situation and the odds are too small. Maybe if we had the rest of the guys together, but you said yourself that wasn’t going to happen. Besides, I’m not exactly in the best fighting condition anymore. It’s been a long time since I’ve picked up a sword.”

Gavin wanted to argue more but found that he didn’t have it in him. Jack was clever and crafty, but he was not the strongest fighter. Add his bum leg to the mix and they might be running a suicide mission. Gavin was already weighed down by Ray and Michael’s rejections, and maybe it was because of that that he so easily accepted this one.

“I’m sorry, Gavin. It’s just not worth the risk. Go back home, try to move on. And if you’re ever in the area again, I’ll cook us up something good.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll do that.” Gavin got up to leave. He was absolutely knackered, and after the strain of the past few days was actually looking forward to his lonely caves. He had almost reached the room’s threshold when Jack called him back.

“Hey, answer something for me. It’s been bugging me ever since that day.”

“Okay.”

“Why did you go to the Nether in the first place? You knew how dangerous it was, and you were never a strong fighter. So why would you go there alone without telling any of us?”

“Hey, I’m not that bad a fighter.”

“Gavin.”

Gavin sighed, walked back to the couch.

“It sounds well and dumb now but, I wanted to show you all that I wasn’t just some mangy little Brit who messed everyone up. Michael, Geoff, they were always poking fun at me about how I was always scared and getting myself into stupid situations they’d have to bail me out of. I thought if I went into the Nether on my own, maybe brought back a dead blaze or something, you all wouldn’t think of me as such a pathetic piece of shit. And obviously _now_ I realize _that_ was really the most pathetic thing I’ve ever done, but back then, it seemed like the best way to redeem myself. Now Ryan is gone, either dead or trapped in the Nether, and none of us can even bloody talk to each other anymore. We had an amazing thing going on, and I ruined that.”

“Takes more than one person to ruin a relationship,” Jack said. “It’s not like any of us have tried to keep in touch over the years. Besides, you’re not the only person responsible for what happened to Ryan.

“I don’t know if anyone ever told you what went down after you disappeared into the Nether. I was over at the Fish Rodeo and Jamboree at the time, doing some repair work after you tried to sabotage Michael by setting his deck on fire. I’d been slaving away on this dock for hours when Ryan came running up to me, all panicked, saying something about you going off and doing something stupid and dangerous. But I was still annoyed at you for destroying half the docks, so I told him you could get yourself blown up by a creeper for all I cared. I think about that moment a lot.”

Gavin felt numb. He’d never considered why Ryan had come alone to try and find him without bringing any of the others. It almost felt good to be able to shift some of the blame onto Jack for not listening to Ryan, but you could dump crap onto someone else’s shoulders and still feel like shit.

“I’m not sure what happened with the others, but I know Ryan at least tried to find them all. I’m sure they also thought you weren’t in any real danger, that you were just doing some stupid ass stunt again that we’d have to help you out of. What I do know is that Ryan tried to get us to help you, and we wouldn’t listen.

“I don’t know if things would be any better if we had all gone through the portal together. Maybe we would have found you faster. Maybe we all would have gotten stuck in there. The worst part is not knowing.”

“He tried to stop me,” Gavin said. He’d never shared this with anyone, though he’d thought back on it more times than he could count. “I bumped into him on my way to the portal. I was furious, because Geoff had been making fun of me again after Michael walloped me for trying to steal his fish. I’d already been thinking about doing it for awhile, and that was sort of the last straw. I don’t think Ryan realized until after I’d gone that I was planning on going into the Nether. I just told him I was fed up with everyone and wanted to prove myself by doing something they would never have the balls to. He said I didn’t have to prove anything, that the others were just taking the piss, like always. But I didn’t listen to him. He probably was looking for me and saw the activated portal in the Portal House and figured it out.”

Jack took his leg off the stool, rubbing at the area where flesh met wood. He sat in contemplative silence for some time, and just when Gavin was about to make his excuses and leave he straightened up.

“Geoff and I have only spoken once since the gang split up,” Jack said. “I’ve tried to contact him since but he’s never responded. I have no idea where he ended up, but last I knew, he was headed to Achievement City.”

“You think Geoff will want to help me?”

“I can’t see Geoff wanting to go back into the Nether, but I know for a fact that he hates the way things ended with you. I think you should go see him, maybe help each other get some closure. God knows we could all fucking use that.”

“Achievement City. Do you think there’s anything left of it?”

“Maybe. Four years is not a long time for a city. Might be infested though, so be careful.”

“I bet the zombies have completely taken over my poor house.”

“Probably.” For the first time since Gavin had seen him, Jack actually smiled a little bit. “You remember how to get there?”

“More or less. The map will help.”

“Okay. Good luck, Gavin.”

“Thanks, Jack.”

Gavin left the house and started heading southeast. The sun was already high in the sky, so he hoped it wouldn’t be too far. He had no idea what he would find, whether Geoff would even be there. But he had nowhere else to go. He was making one last-ditch effort to get someone on his side. Otherwise he was going back into the Nether alone. And this time, he wasn’t leaving until Ryan had gotten out first.


	7. Ruins of a Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, kept forgetting to upload this. Hope you all enjoy!

Gavin had been walking for hours. He was so exhausted he was on the verge of digging a hole somewhere just so he could get some sleep and then start out in the morning. But he had started to recognize the landscape around him, and knew he was almost there. His first glimpse came in the form of a giant _N_ made entirely of obsidian. Gavin laughed when he saw it, it had been his idea and it served no purpose other than to mark the northwest border of the city. It looked exactly as it had four years ago, but he supposed that was natural, considering the durability of obsidian. He moved on. He had finally reached the ruins of Achievement City.

Next was a brick building with a large chimney and a slightly worn Tower of Pimps sitting outside. Gavin quickly walked past that one. He had no desire to revisit the Portal House, at least not yet. He saw the Bunker of Destiny and the Rain of Fire. It was amazing how much stuff they’d created together, for no purpose other than to put each other through bizarre tortures and challenges. As he skirted around the edge of the Felix Baumgartner, he looked towards the north for a familiar sight.

“Hey there, Dan,” he said. Most of Dan’s face had worn away. The sandstone had begun to crumble and the wool was completely gone, but he could still see where Dan’s stupid mug used to be. It was probably the first time he had actually enjoyed the sight.

Gavin continued south, knowing he was very close now as he walked along the base of the Altar of Pimps, the giant, triangular pyramid that hosted more gold than most hidden temples did. He remembered when the others had finally gone inside it, how proud and excited Jack was to have won the Tower of Pimps on that day. How much fun everyone had had. But Gavin didn’t stay to reminisce, because he had already caught sight of an impossibly tall, stone tower looming in the distance. And then in a few short minutes, he was standing next to it.

While the center of Achievement City had not deteriorated beyond recognition, it had changed. Ray’s house, having been built of nothing more substantial than dirt, had been completely washed away by a series of rainfalls. Animals had long since eaten the remnants of the cake he and Geoff had hidden in his walls as a joke. That was back when they made jokes at each other’s expense. Personally, Gavin thought they were funnier that way. Now all that remained to show Ray had lived there at all was a torn-up painting half-buried in the mud.

Geoff’s colossus of a house was the most intact owing mostly to its sheer size. Moss and vines had completely taken over its exterior, however, and extended almost halfway up, so it looked as though the earth was trying to tear the objecting building down. Gavin stepped down the small hill between the remains of Ray’s house and Geoff’s and stood in the center of the open space where their star logo was no longer visible underneath the overgrown grass. He turned in a slow circle, taking everything in.

Jack’s house had almost completely fallen to ruin. His wooden home had rotted away, leaving only a few support beams from the front porch that extended down into the mine below. Gavin was sad to see that the giant statue of him and his dick were both gone, as were the animals and the giant creeper that used to stand behind him. Ryan’s house, which had also been made of dirt like Ray’s, had collapsed in on itself. Gavin could see the corner of the Kung Fu painting poking up out of the ruin. The house Michael shared with Lindsay wasn’t in much better shape. The tree he had planted next door had grown into a mammoth plant, extending over the roof as if trying to absorb it. A branch had even broken through one of the windows and was now growing inside the house itself.

Finally, Gavin turned to his own home, a peculiarly-shaped cobblestoned house he’d carved out of the hillside. From the outside it didn’t look too bad--the stones were more moss than cobble now, but at the very least everything appeared to be intact. All except the two framed heads he’d hung up as a monument to his creeper parents which were nowhere to be seen. That had been before the others had met him, back when he found it easier to associate with creepers than with people. He’d grown very fond of two particular creepers who, for whatever reason, hadn’t immediately blown up upon coming into contact with him, and he’d sort of adopted himself into their family. It hadn’t lasted long, however. He still missed them sometimes.

Gavin stepped inside his house. At first, the front door refused to move, as if fused to its frame, but eventually Gavin managed to pry it open. Within was much different than what he’d seen with-out.

The beautiful paintings that had once covered every inch of his walls now either lay destroyed on the floor or were gone altogether. It was clear that monsters had sought shelter in here from the sun’s rays, and had not cared for the original owner’s possessions. Even the giant painting that hung over the entrance to his trophy room was ruined, the canvas torn open, revealing the hidden passageway. Gavin pulled back the painted folds and went inside. As he did, the memories of the place threatened at once to overwhelm him.

 

_“‘Gavin’s Trophy Room of Victory?’”_

_“What are you doing in there, that’s my room! Jack!”_

_“Gavin has a private room with a Tower of Pimps.”_

_“Get the hell out of here.”_

_“It’s my victory tower!”_

_“Oh look at this! Get this shit out of here.”_

_“You’re a loser.”_

_“Loser!”_

_“Gavin--I think he’s about to cry!”_

_“This is the saddest thing I’ve ever seen.”_

_“He’s so sad! Fucking loser.”_

_“Wow, do you have a note from your mom in here too?”_

_“I hate you guys. You guys are rubbish!”_

 

They had all laughed at him when Jack discovered his secret room where he kept his victory towers from winning the games they set up for each other. But it wasn’t long after that he and Michael, who had probably laughed the hardest, had made a lovely little victory room of their own.

Gavin lifted up a trapdoor that sat in the corner of his trophy room and carefully climbed down the ladder, which thankfully did not break under his weight. He turned around and found himself in the Team Nice Dynamite Secret Room.

It had started as a mere idea. What if they built an underground tunnel that would connect their neighboring houses? And what if that tunnel held a golden room where they kept all their Team Nice Dynamite victory Tower of Pimps? He and Michael had been so excited building it, and put some serious effort into making the place look top.

The result was huge and shiny and more than a little bit garish. The entire floor was made of gold, a process that took them ages, though not as long as the walls, which hosted a checkerboard of diamond and dynamite.

 

_“Gavin! Dude, get this. Get your dick ready for this. If we go this way, we can build a fucking underground tunnel that connects our houses!”_

_“Yes, Michael!”_

_“Right?”_

_“That’s brilliant! Oh, and Michael! If we ever jointly win the Tower of Pimps--”_

_“Right, we never will. But if we do--”_

_“We’ll have an obsidian block down there!”_

_“Yeah! We’ll have a designated point, right in between our houses and that’s where it will be when we never win it.”_

_“Definitely.”_

 

Gavin smiled as he ran his hand along the walls. He hurried along the passageway to see the trophy room itself, but was forced to stop short by a pile of rubble that completely sealed it off. The tunnel had collapsed in on itself, dividing the passage between their houses.

“I am way too tired to deal with bloody symbolism right now,” Gavin muttered, and returned to his house. In the past few days, he’d done more walking around than he normally did in a month. He was properly exhausted, and was going to sleep until the next sunrise, when he would start looking for Geoff. The sun had already set while he was inside the tunnel, so there was no point in continuing on even if he wasn’t ready to drop dead. Gavin just hoped the monsters didn’t still use his house as a free motel.

Gavin collapsed onto his bed, whose old legs promptly splintered out from underneath him, sending the mattress crashing to the floor. Gavin didn’t even care, he just lay there, and was asleep before the dust had even finished settling.

 

_There was a city. Much like the one that could be found on the surface but this one was darker, lit only by the flames of the Nether. Its condition was more decrepit than its happier counterpart, as things tended to fall apart much quicker in a land where collapse and ruin were the norm._

_The King had built this city long ago. Built it as a reminder of what he had lost, and what he no longer strove to return to. He had built this city, brick by brick. And by the time he was finished, he had become insane._

_The city perched on the edge of the valley that led to the Mad King’s palace, though it could not be seen from below. Few who served in the palace even knew of its existence, or its significance to their master._

_The vision rushed forwards, diving from the city into the valley and plunging into the castle’s depths, where the test subjects were kept. In a large room with black walls and a ceiling that could not be seen in the darkness, a young man sat with a heavy chain around his ankle. His feet were bare and his clothes were little better than rags. Unkempt scruff decorated his chin, and hair normally kept short had long since grown out and around his ears. He sat against the wall, glaring up at the imposing figure standing over him._

_“How do you feel?”_

_“I doubt you actually give a shit,” was the young man’s bitter reply. The King smiled._

_“Allow me to rephrase myself. Report your condition. Have all primary biological functions returned to normal?”_

_“As normal as they can ever be after your tampering.”_

_“Are there any residual effects of the dragon’s presence?”_

_“I still feel like ripping your throat out, does that count?”_

_The King smiled again. The young man amused him. Without another word, the King turned and left the room, sealing the dragon’s prison behind him. He turned to Kerry, who was still waiting obediently outside._

_“I must be notified the next time he loses control,” the King said. “I need to regulate the transformation periods if I am to stabilize him.”_

_“He seems to be resisting less every day,” Kerry said, scurrying to follow his master down the hall. “I’m afraid the beast will win out.”_

_“Then I will try again. As many times as necessary.”_

_The King had reached the steps leading back up to the throne room but chose instead to continue down the passageway. After a few turns, he and Kerry stood overlooking a giant hole covered with glass that allowed them to look down upon its occupant. Kerry paled at the sight of the creature below._

_“My liege, what is that?”_

_“Your future, if you fail me. Or if I get bored of dragons.”_

_Chuckling, the King turned and left, leaving Kerry staring at his fate. Hung on the opposite wall was a small sign with a single word inscribed upon its surface._

_Edgar._

_“Gavin, help us,” Kerry whispered. “Find me in the Nether and stop this madness, or we’re all fucked.”_


	8. The Fallen Leader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, is it Friday already? Time for a new chapter!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has leave a comment or kudos, they mean the world to me.

When Gavin finally woke up it was already well-past noon. He remembered every disturbing detail from his latest vision. It gave him the motivation to get out of bed, which despite its prior collapse was the most comfortable thing he had sat on in days. He was so bloody sick of walking around that he could have sat there for ages, but the visions of Ryan and the creature at the bottom of the hole stirred him into activity.

Achievement City looked even more decrepit in broad daylight. What he had seen in the dusk’s dim light was now thrown into harsh relief by the afternoon sun. Everything was a reminder of the old, the forgotten.

Except for one thing.

Now that it was brighter out, Gavin could make out a tall, thin tower in the distance behind Michael’s house that disappeared into the clouds. It may have been four years since he’d been there, but Gavin still knew every inch of Achievement City. And that tower wasn’t there before. Gavin made his way up the hill and to the tower’s base. It was far, and the sight of Achievement City disappeared under the horizon just as Gavin reached it. It was very narrow, no more than six feet in diameter, and extended infinitely upwards as far as Gavin could make out. There were no doors, no windows, but a stone staircase ran up the spiral, though it, too, vanished into the clouds.

“God dammit,” Gavin muttered. He wasn’t afraid of heights, but he did have a tendency to fall from them. He wasn’t going to enjoy this one bit.

Gavin shuffled up the stairs at a snail’s pace, hugging the wall with both arms and keeping his eyes fixed on the stone rather than the increasingly long drop below. By the time he climbed fifty feet up, the wind had started to pull at him and he was swearing profusely.

“God damn Geoff and his bloody height complexes. Had to build his god damn tower to the god damn moon. Bollocks . . . bollocks . . . bollocks, shiiiiiiiiiit!”

Gavin clung to the tower as a particularly strong gust of wind threatened to fling him into the air. He waited until it passed and continued on, not daring to look down to see how far he had come. After what felt like hours, Gavin noticed a definite drop in the temperature and an increase of moisture in the air. Peering out the tiniest bit, he saw that he had reached the cloud level.

“Christ,” Gavin breathed. “Geoff you bastard!”

After he had come out of the clouds and the stairs still rose higher, Gavin started to think Geoff really had managed to breach the Earth’s atmosphere with his tower. Such a feat would have been impossible for most, but Geoff had always had a touch with the world that none of them could match. And his ability to enchant his armor so he could fly had probably helped him a bit as well.

Just when Gavin’s legs were about to give out, the fingers of his right hand wrapped around a corner that turned out to be a small entrance into the tower itself. Gavin pulled himself inside a small, circular room lit by a single torch. There was barely enough room for him to walk around in, but a ladder led up to a trapdoor above his head. Hoping it would lead to warmth and Geoff so he could strangle him for building such a ridiculously terrifying way up to his house, Gavin climbed through.

The trapdoor opened up into a well-lit room, completely bare except for a line of chests against two opposing walls. Gavin peered inside a few and saw they were filled with supplies--enough to last for years, maybe decades. Not just food, but minerals and tools as well. Gavin nicked an apple from the rest of the gubs--he figured Geoff wouldn’t mind, and if he did well then sod him--and set out to explore the rest of the place.

There wasn’t much to see, which didn’t really surprise Gavin. Geoff had always been a lazy bastard after all. Leading out of the trapdoor room was a short hallway with two doors at its end. The first door led into a bedroom that was sparse even by Spartan standards. Just one bed shoved into a corner and a couple of empty potion bottles and rubbish scattered around the floor. Gavin wondered if Geoff had been experimenting again. He was always funnier when he was drunk off of those things.

The second door was simply a big, empty room. The entire wall opposite Gavin had been replaced by glass panes, allowing the occupant an impressive view of the outside world. Silhouetted against the light coming in from the outside and observing whatever lay below them was a figure that could only be the half-lidded, outwardly laid-back, semi-drunkard who used to be one of Gavin’s best friends.

“I saw you coming up,” Geoff said, his voice quiet and raw, as if he had not used it in a while. “Took you longer to climb the stairs than I thought.”

“Well maybe next time don’t live on top of the damn world,” Gavin muttered. He stood awkwardly in the doorway, feeling somehow that he had trespassed on a sort of sanctuary.

“What are you doing, fixing your hair? Get the fuck in here, dude.”

Gavin joined Geoff at the window. Geoff did not turn to look at him so Gavin instead trained his gaze on the view. Although clouds obscured much of the land below, glimpses of Achievement City could be seen through gaps in the puffy white.

“It’s a reminder,” Geoff said to an unasked question.

“I prefer to shut myself up in a cave,” Gavin commented. “Then I don’t have to look at anything but stone and lava.” Geoff finally turned to look at him.

“Is that why you look like a toasted marshmallow?”

Geoff seemed older than Gavin remembered him. The years had aged him in a way disproportionate to the actual amount of time that had passed. The shadows that always seemed to linger underneath his eyes had deepened to the point that they resembled a pair of shiners. His usual messy hair had grown out and had streaks of gray mixed in with the darker strands, and his face, normally the visage of a hungover insomniac at best, held something heavier in it.

“Christ, Geoff, you look terrible. When was the last time you saw some sunlight?”

“Dunno. ‘Bout four years ago.”

Gavin remembered the chests of supplies in the trapdoor room.

“You haven’t left this place since you built it.”

“No.”

“Are you mental? Why on Earth would you do that to yourself?”

“It’s what I deserve.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Shit, do we have to talk about this? Can’t we just, I dunno, sit around, get drunk and then part ways in the morning?”

“What did you think I came here for?”

“I have no fucking clue. Maybe you’re just a figment of my guilty conscience.”

Gavin punched Geoff in the arm.

“Ow! What the fuck, dude?”

“Did that feel like a figment? I want to talk to you seriously, Geoff.”

Geoff grumbled and rubbed at his arm.

“Gavin Free wants to have a serious talk. Alert the villages, I just found a rare occurrence.”

Gavin launched into it before Geoff could say anything else. Like Jack, Geoff listened quietly to the whole thing, although Gavin had a feeling he wouldn’t accept it as easily as Jack had.

“You’re full of shit.”

“Geoff--”

“Smelly, gunpowder-y, creeper-shit. I need a fucking drink.” Geoff made to leave the room but Gavin blocked his path.

“Listen to me! I know it’s absolutely insane and I sound like a right buggering loon for saying it, but I know I’m right. If you won’t help me, I’ll go to the Nether on my own.”

“Oh, because that worked out _so_ well last time.”

“That’s why I’d rather you come with me.”

“You don’t have to do this, Gavin.”

“Do what? Help my friend?”

“Prove yourself! Show us all up for all those stupid fucking things we said to you!”

“Geoff, this isn’t like last time--”

“I’m sorry, okay!”

Gavin fell silent at Geoff’s outburst. He’d rarely heard the man get that loud, or look this pained.

“Sorry for what?” Gavin said. Geoff groaned and walked back to the window. He put his back to the panes and collapsed against them, sitting with his head hung between his knees.

“What happened to Ryan was my fault. I’m the one who kept teasing you about how you were always getting your skinny, British ass handed to you. I put that dumb fucking idea in your head to do something about it, and when Ryan came to me for help I told him I didn’t have time to watch you be an idiot, but would he give me the full playback later because I could use the laugh.”

Geoff let out a weak chuckle but there was no mirth in it.

“I’m supposed to be the one taking care of all you idiots, and now look at us.”

“You’re a goddamn moron.”

Geoff tried to speak but Gavin cut him off.

“No, shut up. You’re a right idiot, you are. I spent years blaming myself for what happened. But you know what I’ve finally realized? It hasn’t done anyone a damn bit of good. Instead of trying to fix this we all just ran off, tried to forget about it. We thought we were moving on but we were just moping about in our own guilt. But that hasn’t made anything better. You’re right, it is your fault. And it’s my fault, it’s all our bloody faults! I’m sick of sitting around feeling sorry for myself. Aren’t you?”

Geoff looked up at Gavin. There was a fondness in his eyes, as though he were looking at a younger brother.

“You’ve really grown up, haven’t you?”

“I think I have. And I bet I’m taller than you now.”

“Dream on, asshole.” Geoff rubbed at his face, his fingers getting caught in his mustache, which had grown out and lost its curl. He sighed.

“I don’t think I can go back there, man. You should talk to the others, see what they think.”

“I did.”

“Oh. So what are you going to do?”

“I’m going after Ryan. I’ll use the portal under Jack’s house, it’s probably still intact. And if not, there are plenty of others laying around the city. I’ll either bring him back or die trying.”

“Geez, man,” came a familiar voice, “I knew you were dumb, but that plan shows some serious mental deficiency.”

Gavin looked back at the doorway and saw Ray standing there, a black top hat perched on his head and a white mask covering his eyes. A single red rose poked out of the lapel on his suit. He stepped into the room and was shortly followed by Jack, who had re-donned his battle clothes.

“You’re not going back there alone, Gavin,” Jack said.

“But I thought you lot were done with the Nether,” Gavin said once the surprise had worn off. “You said you’d never go there again.”

“I might have had something to do with that.”

And then Michael was squeezing in between Jack and Ray to stand in front, complete with bearskin and diamond sword. Behind him, Gavin could just see Lindsay’s red plumage in the background.

“I thought you were done with me,” Gavin said. Michael had the good grace to look ashamed. He rubbed at the back of his neck and glanced sideways at Lindsay.

“Yeah, well, I had a bit of sense knocked into me after you left. And I knew you’d be dumb enough to go through with it on your own, so I thought I’d get some help.”

“He literally just showed up at my front door and said, ‘If we don’t help him he’s going to get himself fucking killed,’” Ray said, shrugging. “It was a solid argument.”

“And then they came and got me,” Jack said. “Luckily I knew where you were headed, and we hoped we’d catch up with you before you left. I’m glad we did.”

“But none of you wanted to come when I asked you,” Gavin said. “What changed about Michael doing it?”

“Maybe I’m just more charismatic than you are,” Michael said. “And, maybe it’s because we’re all a bunch of chicken-shits who didn’t want to go by ourselves.” Michael stood up straight, meeting Gavin’s eyes dead-on. “We’ve got your back, Gav. I fucked up before. Said some crap I didn’t mean. I’m sorry. I’m behind you one hundred percent now. After all,” Michael reached into the folds of his shirt and pulled out a small chunk of diamond attached to a silver chain that hung around his neck, “you’re my boi, right?”

Gavin grinned.

“Right.” They bumped fists and wiggled their fingers, making explosion noises as they did so. In that moment, Gavin felt the happiest he had in years.

“Oh my god that was the lamest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Is that your code for ‘shag me please, Mi-cool?’ Please don’t fuck in my sky fortress.”

“You guys have a secret handshake? Why don’t I get a secret handshake? Come on, let’s make this bromance a threesome.”

“I can’t believe I married you. I am embarrassed on behalf of our future children.”

And suddenly they were all laughing, and Gavin felt lighter than air.


	9. Once More Unto the Breach, Dear Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to everyone who left a kudo or comment. Enjoy!

“Alright, if we’re doing this, we’re going to do it right,” Geoff said. “We’re not going to stumble around the Nether blind like last time. We are going to be so fucking prepared we’ll have back-up plans coming out of our assholes.”

“We won’t be blind,” Gavin said. “I know where to go.”

“Because of your dreams?”

“Can’t we have a map instead?” Jack asked. “I trust a map not to walk off a cliff or forget where it’s going halfway through.”

“Maps don’t work in the Nether, you slag,” Gavin said. “I can lead us to the castle.”

Geoff nodded. “Okay, so here’s what’s going to happen. Lindsay, you’re going to stay behind.”

“What!” Lindsay shouted in protest. She wasn’t the only one.

“That’s bullshit, Geoff!” Michael said. “Why can’t she come?”

“I’ll give you two good reasons,” Geoff said. “A, we need someone on this side in case something happens to the portal. If we get sealed off from the world we’re basically dead. Two, Lindsay, you haven’t had a lot of experience fighting. We need you here to make sure we get our butts home safe.”

Lindsay looked annoyed but she didn’t argue the point.

“Fine, I’ll look after your butts,” she said. “But you owe me for this, Geoff.”

“Duly noted,” Geoff said. “Now, last time we only went in with our regular swords and shit. We’ll need stronger weapons. That’s why we’re going to enchant the shit out of everything.”

“Fucking sweet,” Ray said. “We are going to look so damn shiny.”

“Glad you’re excited, Ray, because I want you and Jack on anvil duty,” Geoff said. “Michael, Lindsay, there’s a brewing stand in the other room. I want you to make us a shit-load of potions. Regeneration, swiftness, fire resistance, as many as you can churn out. Gavin, you’re staying with me. I want you to go over every single detail of the Nether you can remember.”

They set to work, Michael or Ray only leaving the tower occasionally to grab more supplies. On one of their trips they confirmed that the portal beneath Jack’s house had gone out, but could be re-lit. They didn’t talk much, too focused on the task at hand, but they worked together in a comfortable silence they had not known for some time. Gavin would occasionally swap grins with Michael or joke with Jack. It felt nice to be so comfortable with them again.

It took them three days, but at last they had put together an impressive arsenal of weapons and supplies that would get them through the Nether. Each person was given a selection of potions in a bag strapped to their backs. They were also equipped with their weapon of choice. Gavin had a bow and arrow, Michael went for the sword, of course, as did Ray. Jack selected an enchanted axe and Geoff had a sword, though he planned to rely more on his potions. They considered bringing ender pearls, but decided the terrain was too unstable to jump around it without seeing where they were going. They could teleport to a location only to immediately be blown up by a ghast. It would take longer, but they had to go the whole way on foot.

Gavin watched Geoff triple-check their gear for the millionth time.

“Geoff, it’s time to go,” Jack said.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Geoff said. He stood up to address all of them, decked out in his armor. “Listen up jackasses, because we’re only going to have one shot at this. When we get into the Nether--and I never thought I’d say this--we follow Gavin’s lead. We keep our eyes open, our butts guarded, and most importantly, we stay together. Conserve your ammo and don’t go starting fights. Let the little fuckers come to you. I don’t think I have to tell you all how important this mission is.”

“You really don’t,” Ray said. “We’ve all been up to speed here for at least a week.”

“I’m sorry, do I interrupt your motivational speeches, Ray? No, no I don’t. So shut the fuck up.”

Ray kept quiet and they all stared at Geoff, waiting for him to go on.

“Right . . . well we’d better get going.”

“I’m crying from pure inspiration.”

“Shut up.”

They made their way down from the tower back into Achievement City where they quickly slipped into the mines below Jack’s house. Michael and Ray had set up new torches on one of their trips so the place was well-lit enough to keep most of the monsters at bay. It would be Lindsay’s job to keep the light going and to defend the portal from her side until they returned. Of course, they had no way of knowing how long that would be, so Lindsay made sure to stock up on food and supplies. There would be no leaving the mine while they were in the Nether.

For some time, they stood looking at the empty, obsidian frame. Finally, Geoff stepped forward, flint and steel in his hands.

“Here goes nothing,” he said, and struck. The portal flared into life, purple haze blooming out of nowhere and spiraling before their eyes. They were ready.

“When you reach the Nether, wait right by the portal. If there are monsters around, stay out of sight until the rest of us get there,” Geoff said.

“So who’s going first?” Jack asked.

“I am,” Geoff said. “I’m your leader, I should go first.”

“Leader? I don’t remember electing you.”

“Wait, there was a vote? Can I elect myself?”

“I assumed my people weren’t allowed to vote. That and I don’t know how to read.”

“Alright, fuck you. All of you. I hope there’s a ghast on the other side waiting to blow my brains out,” Geoff said, and jumped into the portal. For a few seconds, they could see him floating in the space between worlds. Then his figure faded away and was gone.

“I’ll go next,” Jack said. “Gents before lads.”

“Age before beauty,” Michael muttered as Jack, too, disappeared. Michael turned to Lindsay.

“Well, this is it.”

“Alright, I’m out,” Ray said. “Can’t stand lovers’ farewells. Too mushy.” He jumped into the portal, Michael flipping him off as he went.

“What an asshole,” Lindsay said. “You’re coming back. This isn’t goodbye.”

“Obviously,” Michael snorted. “Hey, Lindsay. When this is over, I think we should consider moving.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. The jungle biome is nice, but it’s a bit too isolated for me, you know?”

Lindsay grinned and looked over at Gavin who met her gaze with a smile.

“I absolutely agree. We can build our diamond fortress somewhere else.”

“Jesus Christ,” Michael laughed, kissing her on the forehead and cheek, then backing towards the portal. “When you get fixated on something, you just don’t let it go!”

“That’s why you married me!” Lindsay laughed, waving goodbye as Michael disappeared through the portal. Before Gavin followed, he turned back to Lindsay.

“Thanks, for getting him here. We couldn’t have done this without you.”

“So what else is new?” Lindsay winked. “Just promise me one thing, Gavin.”

“What’s that?”

“You’ll find Ryan, and you’ll bring them all home.”

“Promise.”

Waving goodbye, Gavin jumped into the portal, and within seconds Lindsay’s grim face had faded from view.

“Gavin, get down!”

Gavin had barely landed in the Nether when he was yanked off his feet. He landed hard on the netherrack, protesting loudly.

“What--”

“Shh!” Michael said. “We landed next to a herd of blazes. There’s at least four of those bad boys out there.”

They were all huddled inside a small cave Geoff and Jack had dug out of the netherrack. It was a situation all too familiar to Gavin.

“Dammit. What do we do?”

“We were waiting on your slow ass, numb-nuts!” Geoff whispered loudly from the back of the cave, where he was pressed up against the wall by Jack and Ray. “I told you, we move as a group. We’ll take them out. Avoid close contact, you don’t want to set yourself on fire. Michael, Ray, you both have fire resistance potions?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Gavin will attract their attention one at a time with his arrows. Then you’ll finish them off. As long as we take them on one on one, we shouldn’t have any problems.”

“Wait, why I am the one who has to get their attention?”

“Because you’re the only one who brought a bow and arrows, dumbass. Now get going!”

Gavin stepped out of the cave and peered around the side of the portal. As Michael had described, there were four blazes wandering around below, sparks flying in every direction as they floated across the ground. Gavin took a deep breath and nocked an arrow, aiming for a blaze that was slightly to the right of the others. All he had to do was hit it, and the blaze would leave its friends and go after him alone. Easy. Gavin focused on his target, and let the arrow fly. It shot through the air and landed directly in the middle of the pack, not hitting a single blaze, but instead attracting all of their attention at once.

“Ah, bollocks!”

As one, the four blazes made their way directly towards him.

“Uh, guys?”

“You fucked up didn’t you?”

“Help!”

Michael and Ray ran out of the cave to Gavin’s defense, chugging fire resistance potions as they went. Geoff shouted instructions to everyone.

“Gavin, get back. Keep shooting at them from a distance and for fuck’s sake try not to hit any of us. Jack, you and I are supporting Michael and Ray. If they get pinned in, we bail them out. Let’s go!”

Gavin fired arrows at the blazes while Michael and Ray charged in. At first, Gavin was terrified of hitting one of his friends by accident, so he moved in closer. It was more dangerous for him, but it made him a much better shot. Protected by the fire resistance potions, Michael and Ray didn’t have to worry about catching fire as they fought the blazes, and in minutes they’d already managed to take down two of them.

“Switch!” Geoff yelled, and he and Jack charged into the fight while Michael and Ray fell back to recover, Gavin continuing to provide help from a distance. At last the final blaze was defeated and crumbled into nothingness, leaving behind a handful of blaze rods and scorched netherrack.

“Everyone okay? Any serious injuries?” Geoff called out. Everyone affirmed that he was unhurt.

“We took those blazes out like pros!” Michael said. “That was textbook blaze slaying!”

“Aw man, I think my suit got singed,” Ray said, twisting around to look at his right shoulder.

“Where to now, Gavin?” Geoff asked. Gavin squinted around at the landscape, trying to match what he was seeing to the glimpses of the Nether he’d seen in his visions. He spotted a mountain in the distance that seemed to stretch out forever on either side.

“There,” he said. “I recognize that from my dreams. There’s a valley on the other side. That’s where we’ll find Ryan.”

“Alright, let’s go. Ray, quit dicking around. Your suit is fine and you still look like a jackass.”

“Oh okay, sweet.”

“Everyone follow me,” Gavin said, heading out. “Try and keep up you sluts!”


	10. The King's Servant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Putting this up a bit early since I won't be able to do it tomorrow. Enjoy!

They headed towards the mountain, keeping a wary eye out for monsters. They ran into a few zombie pigmen, which were easily dispatched, and had to hide once for nearly fifteen minutes as a ghast floated past. They had all agreed not to engage that particular creature under _any_ circumstances.

“Hey, what’s what?” Jack asked, pointing at something in the distance above them. Gavin looked and saw what appeared to be a tall tower sticking up into the sky. For some reason, the sight of it filled him with dread.

“Was that in any of your visions, Gav?” Geoff asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe,” Gavin squinted up at it. “It’s too far away to tell.”

“Let’s check it out,” Michael said. “Whatever it is, that thing is definitely not a natural part of the Nether.”

They climbed the steep slope, occasionally stopping to rest and catch their breaths. Jack especially had a rough time climbing with his wooden leg. He had to be even more careful than the rest of them not to catch it in the flames that dotted the landscape. It was only when they had reached the top of the mountain that they realized what the tower was.

“Holy shit . . .” Michael said.

Although time and fire had done much to chip away at the original structure of the buildings, their resemblance to the originals was unmistakable. Gavin suddenly remembered the brief glimpse he’d gotten of this place a few nights ago.

“It’s an exact replica of Achievement City,” Jack said, staring in amazed wonder.

“How long did this take to make?” Ray asked.

“And was this before or after he went insane?” Gavin said. It had to have been Ryan, after all, who built it. No one else would have the memories from Achievement City to be able to recreate it in such detail.

They slowly wandered around the city. It was all there, all of their houses, even the logo in the center. Geoff’s tower did not extend nearly as high as the real one did, but everything else seemed to scale, though all the houses were empty.

“This is mental,” Gavin whispered as he peered inside the copy of his house. “Why would he do this?”

“Why the fuck are you whispering?” Michael said.

“I dunno. This place kind of feels like a graveyard, doesn’t it?”

Judging by the subsequent silence, the others agreed.

“Let’s move on,” Geoff said at last.

“It’s not far now,” Gavin said, leading them past the end of the city and to the outer rim of the valley.

“Son of a bitch,” Geoff said as he joined him.

The others released similar expletives when they saw the castle down below. It was exactly as Gavin had seen in his visions, down to the lava-filled moat.

“So, turns out Ryan is a way better builder than you and Geoff.” Ray tried out a joke, but he was clearly as unsettled as the rest of them.

“Holy shit, he really is down there,” Michael said. Gavin pouted.

“Are you saying you still didn’t believe me?”

“I’m a visual kind of guy,” Michael said. “And now I’ve seen it.”

“Do you see that?” Geoff said, reaching for a potion on his belt. Gavin looked down into the valley and saw a lone figure making its way towards them. One by one, the guys took out their weapons, ready to attack at the first sign of trouble.

“Whatever that is, it’s going to get seriously fucked up,” Michael said.

“I know who that is,” Gavin said. “Guys, hang on! I know him!”

Gavin began running down the slope to meet the man coming towards him. With a shout, Michael followed him, the others close behind. When he was a few yards away, Gavin saw that he had been right. The man standing across from him was the one he had seen only in his head. The one who had sent him the visions in the first place.

“Are you Kerry?” Gavin asked. The smaller man nodded. He seemed thinner than Gavin remembered from the dreams, and far more nervous. His eyes kept darting around and he kept checking behind him as if he suspected someone was watching them.

“The King has sent me to receive you,” Kerry said. “He wishes an audience with those brave and foolish enough to trespass upon his land.”

“Ryan knows we’re here?”

“Please, allow me to escort you to the castle.” Kerry turned to lead them deeper into the valley.

“How did he know we were coming?” Jack asked, but Kerry gave no answer, only hurrying onwards.

“Did he seem this sketchy in your dreams?” Ray asked.

“I’m with Ray. I don’t think we can trust him,” Michael said.

Gavin looked at Kerry, who was waving at them to follow him. He turned back to Michael.

“Do you trust me?”

Michael sighed.

“Alright, let’s go. But I’m keeping an eye on that twitchy motherfucker.”

They followed Kerry down the slope, winding around the occasional ditch or lava-fall. Suddenly, Kerry darted to the right, disappearing behind one of the lava flows. When the others hesitated, he popped his head back out, signaling them to follow him.

“I don’t like this,” Geoff said. “Feels like a trap.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to trap us at the castle though?” Jack asked.

Gavin walked forward to where Kerry had vanished. There was a small cave dug into the side of the land right behind the lava-fall. Keeping his back pressed firmly against the wall, Gavin inched into the gap in-between and ducked into the cave. It was not big and seemed to serve no other purpose than as a very good hiding place. Kerry was standing there, still visibly nervous but less twitchy than before.

“What the fuck is taking them so long? Tell them to get in here!” he said in a harsh whisper. Gavin, taken slightly aback at his sudden change in tone, ducked back outside and motioned for the others to follow. Soon they were all crowded inside the tiny cave.

“Sorry for being so weird earlier,” Kerry said. “The King’s eyes are everywhere. But he won’t be watching us anymore. He saw you coming when you reached the old city and he sent me out to make sure you didn’t get lost, though how you could possibly miss this place I have no idea--”

“Can someone translate for this little fucker?” Geoff asked. “Ryan’s watching us? How?”

“He has an enchanted Ender Eye,” Kerry explained. “It lets him see what’s going on in his ‘kingdom’. It’s not perfect vision though. He knows that five people have shown up but I don’t think he knows who you are.”

“How do _you_ know who we are?” Gavin asked. “In my dreams you always called out my name, asking for my help. But we’ve never met. At least, I don’t _think_ we have.”

Kerry shook his head. “No, we haven’t. But I’ve heard a lot about you. All of you.”

“That’s not creepy,” Ray muttered.

“Thing is, I first met Ryan years ago. I actually knew him before he went, well . . .”

“Batshit insane?” Michael offered.

“Yeah, pretty much. At the time we met, he’d only been trapped in the Nether for a few months.”

“What were you doing in the Nether?” Jack asked. “It seems like a pretty shitty place to live.”

Kerry shrugged.

“Once you get used to it, it’s livable. Don’t get me wrong, it sucks most of the time, but for us, it’s all we’ve got.”

“Who’s us?” Geoff asked.

“There are a few of us who’ve lived most of our lives in the Nether,” Kerry explained. “We usually come in through a portal and then fuck up. The portal gets destroyed but we manage to stay alive somehow. When I met Ryan, he was in bad shape. He’d been living off mushrooms and pigman flesh--not a healthy diet, although there isn’t much else. I stuck with him, taught him what I knew about surviving in here. He told me a lot about you guys. He said his friends were some of the greatest assholes in the world, and that they were going to find him and get him out. It took almost two years before he gave up on you, and even then, I think he still hoped for a miracle.”

“How did he end up all crazy and shit?” Michael asked.

“He couldn’t let go of the past,” Kerry said. “See, those of us who live in the Nether, we’ve given up ever going back. We’ve accepted that the Nether is our home now. But Ryan, he never stopped thinking about his old life. I was never sure if I should feel bad for him or be jealous of him. Building that city was the turning point, I think. It’d been years and you still hadn’t come back for him. At first he was just doing it to reminisce, but then he started pretending like he was back with you guys again. It was pretty fucked up, honestly.”

“So he went from delusional hermit to power-hungry lunatic?” Jack asked. “That seems a bit extreme.”

Kerry shrugged.

“That’s what living in this place for too long can do to you. I was going a bit nuts myself, before Ryan showed up. He really helped me out then, which is why I still want to help him now, even after all that’s happened.”

“You mean after he basically made you his servant and started experimenting on other poor blokes,” Gavin said.

“Hey, you knew that and you still came here,” Kerry said.

“So what was your plan?” Geoff asked. “We show up and drag Ryan’s looney ass back home, problem solved?”

“I thought it might help for him to see you. That it might snap him out of this whole ‘king’ business.”

“That’s it? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Look, I don’t know!” Kerry threw up his hands. Gavin finally noticed how tired he looked, as though he were barely keeping himself together. He remembered the creature from the pit and Kerry’s face when he had seen it.

“Why don’t we give it a go?” Gavin said. “It’s basically what we were going to do anyway, innit? And if it doesn’t work we’ll just force him to come back with us.”

Geoff sighed. The others didn’t look too optimistic about this plan, but as Gavin had pointed out, they didn’t exactly have any other ideas.

“Okay, we’ll try the group kumbaya session,” Geoff said. “Lead the way, Kerry.”

Kerry escorted them out of the small cave and towards the palace, immediately re-adopting his formal manner of speech. When Michael asked him about it, he ignored the question. Gavin wondered if Kerry played along with Ryan’s pretend world to keep in his good humor. They proceeded quickly across the terrain, unhindered by monsters or random explosions. Soon they were at the gates, which opened automatically as they approached.

“Bet I could have done it with two less redstone,” Ray muttered, but the joke fell flat in the tense atmosphere. Kerry guided them through a series of hallways, making careful mention of certain blocks they should avoid stepping on to prevent triggering any traps.

“The King prefers his privacy,” Kerry said. “It would not do for just anyone to waltz into his domain.”

“Glad we’re invited,” Geoff said.

After making their way down a particularly gruesome hallway on whose walls hung many heads of various Nether creatures, Kerry paused outside a set of double-doors that stretched all the way up to the ceiling. Gavin noticed he seemed paler than he had been before, and he kept rubbing at his temples as if he had a headache. Ryan must absolutely terrify him.

“A word of caution,” Kerry said, “The King is a patient man, but it would not be wise to upset him. He delivers strict punishments to those deemed deserving.” Then he lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “Seriously, guys, be careful. Anything could set him off.”

Gavin and the others held their breath as Kerry opened the doors. Their weapons were sheathed but in easy reach if they needed to whip them out in a hurry. Gavin hoped they wouldn’t have to use them, but feared they would. Finally the doors parted enough that they could step through and enter the throne room.

It was just as Gavin had seen it in his visions. Grand in scale but poorly-lit, and with redstone torches that cast sinister shadows everywhere, the room felt oppressive despite its large size. There was only one notable difference between now and what Kerry had shown Gavin in the dreams.

The throne was empty.

Geoff turned to Kerry, instantly on alert.

“Where is he, you little shit?”

But Kerry looked just as confused as the rest of them. He walked to the center of the room and turned in a slow circle, as though Ryan were hiding in the shadows somewhere, waiting to pop out and surprise them.

“I don’t understand,” Kerry said.

“If this is a trap, you’re about to be really sorry,” Geoff threatened. Next to him, Michael drew out his sword, tensed for a fight.

“He said to bring you to the throne room,” Kerry said, eyeing Michael’s sword. “I swear, I have no idea what’s going on.”

“Well you have about five seconds to figure it out,” Geoff said, stepping towards him. Kerry backed away until he was nearly at the steps leading up to the throne.

“Hey, take it easy. C’mon, guys.”

“Listen here, you sneaky little rat--”

_Click._

Gavin wasn’t sure what had happened exactly. What he did know was that one minute he had been standing on a solid stone floor, and then suddenly the floor did not exist anymore and he was falling into darkness, which was very rude and terrifying and Gavin’s last thought as the light disappeared above his head was honestly, why couldn’t this just have been easy for once?


	11. The King's Tests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to everyone who left a kudo or a comment! It always makes my day to see them. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

The next thing Gavin became aware of was that he had fallen into a pool of some kind, and that on top of everything else he was now panicked, disoriented, and completely, sopping wet. He couldn’t see a damn thing in front of him, although he knew the others had fallen in with him because he could hear them splashing and cursing in the darkness.

“What the fuck! What the actual goddamn motherfucking fuck!” Michael yelled from somewhere on Gavin’s left. He tried to swim in that direction but was smacked in the face by a flailing arm. Everything was confusion as they tried to figure out what had happened.

“I can’t see a damn thing!”

“It’s dark as dicks down here!”

“What happened to the floor?”

“Where are you guys?”

“I’m wet as dicks!”

“ _What happened to the goddamn floor?_ ”

“I’m fucking confused as dicks.”

“Stop talking about dicks!”

“Ahh! Who’s touching me?”

“I am!”

“Thanks, that’s fucking helpful!”

“Sod off, Ray, you can’t tell from my damn voice?”

“Oh, right.”

“Alright, everyone calm down!” Geoff yelled, although he sounded far from calm himself. “Is everyone still here? Achievement Hunters, sound off!”

“Jack! I’m here!”

“Gavin! Here!”

“Ray! I hate you all!”

“Michael! That fucking goes double for me!”

“Um, Kerry. H-Hi.”

“Where is that mousy motherfucker? I’m gonna kill him!” Michael shouted amidst loud splashes.

“It’s not my fault!” Kerry squeaked, then cleared his throat. “If I planned on trapping you guys, do you really think I’d get myself stuck down here too?”

There was a pause as they all considered this.

“Alright, fair point,” Michael said. “I’m still fucking pissed off though. I thought you knew where all the traps were?”

“This one’s new,” Kerry said. “Usually no one gets as far as the throne room.”

“What do you mean usually?” Jack asked. “Who else comes here?”

“Well, no one,” Kerry admitted. “Sometimes a monster will wander in by accident but that hasn’t happened in awhile.”

“So he just built all these traps for shits and giggles?”

“Anyone else getting really tired of treading water?” Ray asked.

“Everyone spread out!” Geoff shouted. “Swim until you hit a wall and then start searching for a ledge, a doorway, anything that could get us out of here.”

There were a few bumps and bruised shoulders as they scrambled around each other, but soon they were all spread out, blindly paddling through the water.

“I hope there isn’t anything in here with us,” Gavin said.

“God dammit, Gavin, now that’s going to freak me out,” Jack said.

“Scared a squid is gonna getcha?” Michael teased. “Gonna get revenge for that one time you murdered his cousin in the Pi-- _ow! Jesus motherfucking Christ on a cracker!_ I found the fucking wall. Shit on my dick that _hurt_ . . .”

Gavin was about to say something in reply when the tip of his nose collided with hard stone. Around him, similar grunts and cries of pain could be heard as they each came into contact with the unforgiving structure. Gavin began feeling along the wall for a ledge, a crevice, something he could lean his weight on to take off the pressure from treading water. All his searching hands came into contact with was smooth stone. There was absolutely nothing to grab on to. Gavin moved to the right until he collided with Jack, who seemed to be having even more difficulty staying afloat. You’d think the wooden leg would make him more buoyant.

“Did anyone find anything?” Geoff called out. Everyone responded in the negative.

“So how the fuck are we gonna get out of here?” Michael asked.

“We’re not.”

Gavin almost missed Kerry’s voice with all the splashing from the other guys.

“What was that?” he called out.

“We’re not getting out of here,” Kerry repeated. “There’s no exit, no way out.”

“So what are we supposed to do?” Jack asked.

“We’re supposed to tread water until we get too tired to keep going. Then we drown.”

“Oh fuck that,” Ray shouted. “There’s gotta be a way out of here.”

“That’s how his mind works,” Kerry said. “Nothing is ever quick. Though . . .”

“What?” Geoff asked sharply.

“With most of his traps . . . there’s usually some way to get out of it. He likes to see what things do when they’re caught--although the usual zombie pigman or blaze is too stupid to figure it out--but I don’t see any way out of this one.”

“Maybe that’s because we can’t see it,” Gavin said.

“Yeah, no fucking shit, Gavin, he literally just said that,” Michael grumbled.

“No, I mean,” Gavin fumbled to find the right words. “Maybe we can’t see it because it’s not on the surface.”

“So you’re saying the exit is underwater?” Geoff said.

“Well, why not?”

“Fair point. Okay, Michael, go take a look and see if you can find anything.”

“What? Why me?”

“Because you put the idea of squid people swimming around down there in my head and it’s fucking creeping me out.”

“Fuck you, Geoff.” Nevertheless, Gavin heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by a splash as Michael dove down beneath the water. Gavin found himself counting the seconds. After he hit thirty he began to worry that something might have happened, but then Michael broke the surface with a gasp.

“Well?” Gavin asked anxiously as Michael caught his breath.

“There is . . . something down there,” Michael said amidst heavy panting. “I couldn’t really get a good look at it, but there’s a part of the water that seems lighter than the rest. Might be some glowstone down there, could be a way out.”

“How far down?” Geoff asked.

“Pretty fucking far,” Michael said. “But I think we can make it if we swim right for it without fucking around.”

“Alright, any volunteers?”

“Fuck it, I’ll go back down,” Michael said. “I’ll try to come back up if I can. If not and I drown, I don’t want any of you to try to resuscitate me.”

“Darn, there go my make-out plans,” Ray joked.

“I’ll go with you, Michael,” Gavin said.

“Okay, but if you kick me in the head I’ll fucking murder your ass.”

The water was so dark Gavin could barely see Michael in front of him as they swam to the bottom of the pit. But as Michael had said the water did get lighter and soon they were approaching a spot that glowed softly, although Gavin couldn’t see its light source. Michael went first, swimming right up to the wall, a portion of which was missing, creating a tunnel that led to wherever the glow was coming from. Michael disappeared for a moment, then popped his head back out, flashing a thumbs up at Gavin. Gavin nodded and pointed back up to the surface, indicating that he would tell the others about the exit. Michael sent him another thumbs up and disappeared back into the tunnel. Lungs now straining, Gavin made for the surface, which seemed much farther away than he’d expected because he couldn’t see it. Just when he thought he was swimming in the wrong direction and was going to drown he broke through, taking in great gasps of stale air.

He explained the situation to the others, and they decided to take the trip in a sort of relay system--two people would dive down at once, with one pointing out the location of the tunnel and going through it while the other went back up to guide the next person. Gavin guided Ray, this time diving down towards the tunnel without hesitation. Once Ray knew where it was, he kicked back towards the surface while Gavin continued on.

The tunnel only went on for a short ways before curving upwards, and Gavin let his natural buoyancy carry him up to the top where Michael was waiting. He surfaced in a small circle of water that sat on the floor of a large room. The room’s walls were made up entirely of glowstone, the light hurting Gavin’s eyes a bit after being in the dark for so long. Within a few minutes, everyone else had joined them.

“Okay, great. We’re all alive,” Geoff said. The others laid sprawled out on the floor, sopping wet. Of the six of them, Michael seemed to be the only one not out of breath. Gavin supposed living in the jungle had kept him nice and fit. Lucky bastard.

“It was a test,” Kerry panted. “You had to have the courage to swim down blindly to find a way out.”

“That is seriously fucking messed up,” Michael said. He was already on his feet, examining the walls.

“Now what?” Jack asked.

“I could probably break this,” Michael said, running his hand over the glowstone.

“Should we?” Gavin asked. “Surely it can’t be as straightforward as that.” Michael shrugged.

“You see any other way out of here?” he asked. Gavin looked around. The four walls were solid, with no holes to be found. The ceiling was actually made of netherrack, which would be much harder to break through, especially given how high up it was.

“What do you think, Kerry?” Geoff asked.

“I have no clue. This one’s new to me too.”

“Why the fuck do we keep you around then?” Geoff asked. “Use your head. Right now, you know Ryan better than any of us.”

Kerry considered it.

“Well, breaking the glowstone seems like the only way out, but there’s no way it’ll be that easy.” He hesitated, thinking. “I’d say go for it, but be really super fucking careful.”

“What would we do without your sage advice?” Michael muttered. “Alright, here goes.” He drew out his sword, selected a glowstone block, and began hacking away. The material shattered almost instantly under his diamond sword, but before Gavin could see what lay behind it, Michael dove to the side, slamming into him.

“Ah, shit!”

There was a click, a whoosh, and a thud. Gavin had no idea what had just happened. He pushed Michael away, looking around. Then he noticed it.

Jack had an arrow sticking out of his leg. Gavin flashed back to their final rescue attempt in the Nether, at the injuries they had sustained. Then he relaxed, because the arrow had embedded itself in Jack’s left leg. His wooden leg.

“At least this thing’s good for something,” Jack said, reaching down to yank the arrow free. “Dammit, now the wood’s all splintered!”

Gavin looked back to the block Michael had broken and saw a dispenser concealed behind it, which had automatically fired the arrow as soon as Michael had uncovered it.

“The fuck kind of sicko does this shit?” Michael shouted. Gavin winced and rubbed at his ear, taking a few steps to the side to put some distance between him and Michael’s rage.

“There’s probably one behind every damn block,” Geoff said.

“No big deal,” Ray said. “We just make sure we’re not standing in front of the blocks we break.”

“Which is going to be a lot harder to do the darker it gets in here,” Kerry said.

“Then we’ll choose our blocks carefully,” Geoff said. “Work in a checkerboard pattern, that way we’ll leave enough light to see by. Everyone pay attention and don’t get fucking shot.”

They worked quickly but carefully, making sure they were all safely out of the line of fire as they shattered glowstone after glowstone. The room gradually grew darker, and twice one of them stumbled and fell back into the pool in the middle of the room. They had covered three out of the four walls, and Gavin could tell that the others were getting frustrated, especially Michael. He’d stopped using his diamond sword for fear of wearing it out, and they were alternating between using Ray’s sword and Jack’s axe. Arrows were sticking out of the walls, the floor, everywhere. Gavin decided to pick a few up to replenish his own supply, which still left at least a hundred laying around.

Shatter. Click. Whoosh. Thud.

Shatter. Click. Whoosh. Thud.

Shatter. Click. Whoosh. Thud.

Shatter.

Silence.

Cautiously, Ray peered forward to the newest gap in the wall.

“Oh my god thank you, Jesus.”

Gavin stepped forward to look. Instead of a dispenser, the hole opened up to provide a tiny glimpse of the hallway beyond. It was their way out.

“Fucking finally!” Michael said. They quickly hacked a doorway out of the glowstone, Ray only making a mistake once and narrowly avoiding an arrow in the eye socket.

“Freedom!” he shouted as he ran into the hallway, the others following close behind.

“Hang on, guys! What if there’s tripwire or something?” Gavin called. They halted in their tracks, looking down the length of the innocent-looking hallway.

“This is getting really fucking annoying,” Geoff said. “We can’t move three feet without worrying about getting our dicks cut off.”

“I say we let little Kerry go first and see if he gets got,” Michael said, pronouncing the name so it sounded like ‘Keeree.’

“Hey!” Kerry protested. “I still don’t know what I did to get stuck with you assholes, but luckily for you we’re back in a part of the castle that I recognize. This hallway is fine, no traps.”

He led them forwards, and Gavin couldn’t shake the feeling that this part of the castle was familiar to him too, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Must have been in one of his visions, but he couldn’t remember which one. Kerry in particular seemed uncomfortable, and eager to reach a different area. He was looking like he was in pretty bad shape, which was understandable after what they had all been through. A couple of times he stopped in the middle of the hallway, as though suddenly disoriented. Gavin had no idea what was wrong with him but he was starting to worry. Kerry was their guide through this place. Without him, things would become even more difficult than they already were.

It wasn’t until they rounded the corner and came upon a set of enchanted obsidian doors that Gavin realized where they were.

“Dude, what’s in there?” Ray asked. “Is this where Ryan keeps all his treasure and shit?”

“In a way,” Kerry said quietly, “behind these doors is Ryan’s proudest and most important accomplishment.”

“I’m not sure whether or not I want to see that,” Jack said.

“You don’t,” Gavin said. “Definitely not. Kerry, how do we get back upstairs?”

But Kerry didn’t seem to be listening to him. He walked forward until he was mere inches from the enchanted doors.

“Hey, jackass,” Geoff said. “What’s the plan here?”

“It’s the only way,” Kerry muttered in low voice Gavin could barely make out. He then reached out to touch the obsidian doors. Instantly, the enchantment upon them broke, and to Gavin’s horror they began to open. He remembered what lay behind them.

“What’re you doing?” he shouted. Michael picked up on his panicked tone and drew out his sword.

“I have to,” Kerry said, as the doors opened wider. “If I make you fight him, he’ll take it out of me.”

“Gavin, what’s happening?” Michael asked. “What’s in there?”

But before Gavin could answer, Kerry suddenly lashed out with more energy than they’d yet seen from him and grabbed Ray around the neck, dragging him inside the giant room. Ray was taken too off-guard to break free of his grip, and Gavin watched with a horrible feeling in his gut as he and Kerry disappeared from sight.

“Fuck!” Jack immediately ran after them, entering the room without a second thought. Geoff quickly followed, and after a quick look at Gavin, Michael did too. Gavin did not want to go inside. He remembered the room from his visions and knew that going in there would almost certainly lead to his death. But without him, there would be no “almost” for the others.

Gavin darted inside, and the sound of the double doors slamming shut behind him did nothing to calm his nerves as he stepped into the dragon’s den.


	12. Dumbasses and Dragons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really early update this week because I'm traveling this weekend and won't have my computer. Fun action sequence that I hope you all enjoy, I certainly had fun writing it.
> 
> As always, thanks to everyone who left a kudo or a comment, I really appreciate them. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

The room was pitch black. Gavin couldn’t see the nose on his face, much less any of the others. He wished they’d thought enough to bring torches, but who would have thought the Nether would be so damn dark?

“Where’s Kerry?” he called out, then winced at the way his voice echoed loudly against the walls.

“The little fucker ran off!” Michael yelled, his voice even louder. “Ray, you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Ray said. “Just embarrassed that guy made me his hostage bitch.”

“He’s got to be in here somewhere,” Geoff said. “Hang on, I’ve got night vision potions. Everyone stay where you are, I’ll come find you.”

Gavin listened as Geoff made his way around the room, handing out the bottles. His ears were also straining to pick up any signs of the beast that lived inside this chamber. It was a bloody miracle the thing hadn’t eaten them all yet. It was as if it wasn’t even there.

“Kerry’s not here anymore.”

Another voice. This one also vaguely familiar to Gavin.

“Who the fuck are you?” Geoff said. Gavin supposed Geoff could see the person who was talking, but as he still hadn’t gotten a potion, he was left to stare blindly at nothing.

“The King’s pet,” the voice said.

“Like, as in a sex thing?” Ray asked.

“What? No. I, why the hell would you even think that?”

“Well you are currently sporting a sweet set of chains.”

“The fuck kind of sex are you having, Ray?” Michael asked.

“The solo kind,” Jack mocked.

“Absolutely true,” Ray confirmed.

“Wow, you guys really are idiots,” the voice said. “Now I don’t feel so bad about this.”

“About what?” Geoff asked.

But the voice did not respond. Instead, the others started to make noises--shocked gasps and whispered curses. It made Gavin really ticked off that he still couldn’t see what was going on, especially after something in the room started moving. 

Something big.

“Someone get me a damn potion!” Gavin shouted. A moment later, he felt someone grab his hand and stuff a glass bottle into it. Without wasting a second, he downed the entire thing. It tasted a bit like peppermint, which was weird, but not nearly as strange as the sight that lay before his newly-adjusted eyes.

An enormous dragon dominated the room. Even with Gavin’s enhanced vision, it was difficult to make out the black-scaled monster in the darkness of the room. Its eyes, on the other hand, shone with a bright purple that reminded Gavin of the swirling fog within the portals. He realized that the voice from before must have been Kdin, who he had only seen once in a vision, and only ever in his human form. This was something far more terrifying.

“Shit, it’s the basement dragon you were talking about, Gavin,” Ray said. Gavin flinched at the look Geoff gave him when he heard that.

“Gavin,” he said. “Did you know Ryan was keeping a dragon down here?”

“Yeah.”

“And did it not occur to you to mention that we were walking into a room where Ryan was keeping a goddamn, motherfucking dragon?”

“Um.”

“Hey, guys,” Michael said, holding his diamond sword out in front of him. “All in favor of benching the ‘Gavin is a stupid, fucking moron’ topic for now and kicking this dragon’s ass before he barbecues us?”

“Seconded,” Jack said, moving over until he was standing next to Michael. Slowly, they all inched together until they were huddled in a group directly in front of the dragon’s line of vision.

“Motion passed,” Geoff said. “Achievement Hunters, take that fucker down!”

As one they dove into different directions, scattering into the corners of the room. Gavin looked up just in time to see Geoff rising towards the ceiling before he vanished from view. They were pulling out all the stops now.

Michael and Jack were the closest to the dragon, and they began to attack, only able to reach up as high as the creature’s knees. Gavin dropped down to one knee and began firing arrows, but each one he launched only bounced off the dragon’s hard scales. On his left, Ray was analyzing the situation, looking for any weakness in the dragon’s armor.

The room wasn’t large enough for the dragon to fully spread its wings, but that didn’t stop it from doing some serious damage. It swiped at Michael and Jack with its enormous black talons, and nearly caught Jack behind the legs with its spiked tail. They were not in a good position, but the dragon was moving too quickly for them to scramble away.

Just then, as if they had been sent from the heavens, two potions sailed towards Michael and Jack, shattering on their backs and erasing them from view. Gavin held his arrows back, not wanting to hit his invisible friends by mistake.

An invisible touch on Gavin’s shoulder told him that Jack and Michael were safely out of the way. He nocked another arrow onto his bow but did not fire. It was useless to keep firing arrows that would only bounce off and do no damage at all.

“Our enchanted blades aren’t even enough to cut through its hide,” Michael’s voice said in Gavin’s ear. “The hell are we going to do?”

But before Gavin could reply the dragon lashed out, extending its long neck towards them and unleashing a blast of red, hot flames in their direction. There was no time to get out of the way.

Gavin felt the effects of the potion before he registered the shattering against his head. As the flames enveloped him, rather than feeling the numbing yet incredibly painful sensation of being roasted alive, Gavin felt as though he were being tickled by a shower of flower petals. It was quite pleasant, actually, but that didn’t mean he ought to stand there enjoying it.

Instead of simply going to the side, Gavin ran into the flames. The effects of the fire resistant potion Geoff had chucked at him would not last long, and he wanted to be in a more advantageous position. Besides, if the dragon’s focus was on him, it would give the others an opportunity to attack and hopefully do some damage to this thing.

“You fucking moron!”

Suddenly, Michael was by his side, running with him on his collision course with the dragon. And then Gavin remembered that even though he was currently fire-proof, he wasn’t invisible like Michael, and therefore still very much susceptible to the dragon’s sharp claws. The dragon raised one enormous foot to crush Gavin but suddenly halted in mid-air, as if stopped by an unseen force. Gavin took advantage of Michael’s protection to duck under the dragon’s belly, where he couldn’t be reached unless the dragon moved away from the wall, which it seemed unable to do due to a large chain wrapped around its back foot.

“The fuck were you thinking?” Michael’s voice joined him underneath the dragon’s stomach. “Did you even have a plan running up to that thing?”

“Michael, do I look like a bloke with a plan?”

“Yeah, I don’t know why I even asked.”

Just then, they both heard Ray yell from across the room.

“The eyes! Go for its eyes!”

Ray was right, Gavin realized. The dragon’s entire body was covered with impenetrable scales-- _except_ for its glowing, purple eyes.

“Okay, so how the fuck are we supposed to get up there?” Michael said. The potion of invisibility was starting to wear off--Gavin could see Michael coming into focus, transparent but definitely visible.

“Maybe Geoff--?” Gavin began.

“No,” Michael said, shaking his head. “His reflexes aren’t quick enough. If he misses he’s going to get an ass-full of dragon teeth.”

“Well then Jack--”

“He’ll be too slow with that leg of his. And there’s no way he could get the height.”

“What if Ray--?”

“That lazy fucker spent the last four years gardening and sitting around on his ass. There’s no way he’s got the agility.”

“Well what are we supposed to do then?” Gavin cried, frustrated. The potion had completely worn off now, so Gavin could see every detail of Michael’s face as he grinned at him.

“Don’t worry, Gav. Unlike you, this bear’s got a plan.”

 

Gavin ran out from beneath the shelter of the dragon’s stomach to rejoin the others and explain Michael’s plan. He wasn’t fire-proof anymore, nor did he have the luxury of invisibility, but his guardian angel (or three) made sure he got away unharmed. When he reached them, Gavin explained the plan to Ray and Jack and hoped Geoff was listening as well.

“This sounds really risky,” Jack said with a frown. “There’s gotta be a safer way.” 

Gavin shrugged.

“You know Michael. He can’t resist showing off.”

“He gets that from you,” Ray said. “Difference is, he can actually follow through with it. Let’s do this.”

Ray and Gavin ran forwards, sheathing their weapons and waving their arms to get the dragon’s attention.

“Hey! Over here, you big lizard!” Gavin yelled.

“Come at me, bro!” Ray shouted. “I eat chickens like you for breakfast!”

Even though they had no idea whether the dragon could actually understand them, Gavin and Ray did their best to keep the beast’s attention on them. Jack and Geoff kept to the sidelines, ready to intervene if a clawed foot or burst of flames got too close. It didn’t matter what they did, as long as it kept the dragon from detecting Michael climbing onto its back. They worked together seamlessly, as though the previous four years of silence and separation had never happened.

Michael was so small in comparison to the dragon that he might as well have been a fly on its shoulder. At least, that’s what they were hoping. If it realized Michael was there, they wouldn’t be able to get to him in time. Gavin kept a wary eye on him as he crawled his way up the spiked tail over to the shoulder blades. His concern for Michael made it difficult for him to concentrate on the dragon itself, however, and he narrowly missed igniting his hair with its flames.

“Focus, Gavin!” Jack shouted as he charged in to help block the dragon’s attacks. “We’ve almost got this thing!”

As soon as Michael had secured himself just below the dragon’s neck, in the crook between its shoulder blades, Geoff made his move. From out of thin air, a purple potion appeared and sailed towards the dragon’s head, quickly followed by two more. All three shattered upon impact with the dragon’s forehead, dousing it with their effects.

The dragon’s movements began to slow, although even with three potions it still was not as affected as they’d hoped. It was enough, however, to allow Michael to put his plan into action. Using the kind of acrobatics that Gavin guessed could only come from living in the jungle biome for four years, Michael launched himself forwards onto the dragon’s neck, which was inclined downwards after attempting to bite Ray’s head off. Finally detecting Michael’s presence, the dragon began to lift its head, but due to the effects of the potions of slowness Geoff had thrown at it, it could not do so in time to stop Michael from reaching its head and plunging his sword into one of its purple eyes.

The dragon roared in pain as Michael withdrew his sword and, not wasting any time, stabbed the remaining eye, completely blinding the dragon. Everyone cheered as Michael hoisted his sword above his head in a victory pose, but suddenly the dragon gave a lurch that showed the effects of the potions were already wearing off.

“Get out of there, Michael!” Gavin shouted.

Michael, who had been straddling his legs on either side of the dragon’s cranium, pushed himself up with his arms and used his momentum to leap off the dragon’s head. But the potion had properly worn off now, and Gavin watched, terrified, as the dragon opened its jaws wide to snatch Michael out of the air. The dragon was in too much pain to aim accurately, but for a few seconds it looked as though it would be lucky and receive a mouthful of Mogar.

Suddenly, Michael shot forwards out of the danger zone, dragged by an invisible force. Gavin allowed himself to breathe again as Michael was set down roughly on the opposite end of the room where they all congregated out of the dragon’s reach.

“Fuck, dude, you’re way heavier than I thought you would be,” Gavin heard Geoff grumble as he reached them. The older man popped into view at last, collapsing against the wall, clearly exhausted.

“Well now we know you didn’t spend the past four years lifting,” Michael replied, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a purple-stained hand. “Jesus fuck that was scary.”

“Big bad Mogar got scared of a little dragon?” Gavin teased. Michael glared at him.

“No, big bad Mogar got scared of a fucking gigantic-ass dragon that tried to chew him up for lunch.”

“Speaking of which . . .” Jack said, his weapon still at the ready as he watched the dragon, which was now leaking purple light from the stab wounds Michael had inflicted. Its thrashings began to slow as it weakened, until it collapsed onto the ground and lay still. Everyone continued to watch it, ready for it to suddenly spring to life and attack, but instead the dragon began to change. It grew smaller, scales flaking off and vanishing in purple sparks of light as the beast disappeared and was replaced with the man once again. Now that Gavin could see properly in the dark, he recognized the chained man as the same one from his visions, the one Kerry called ‘Kdin.’

Kdin lay facedown on the obsidian floor and did not move. Cautiously, Gavin approached him, ignoring Geoff’s hissed words of warning. Now that the dragon was gone, Gavin felt strangely at ease. He knew Kdin did not worship Ryan, and felt he wouldn’t have attacked them under normal circumstances. Maybe they had managed to kill the creature inside of him, and he was safe now.

But that didn’t mean Gavin let his guard down, not for a moment. Behind him, he could sense the others watching him carefully, ready to take Kdin down if he looked like he might still be a danger.

“Are you alright there?” Gavin asked. “You’re not going to turn into a bloody dragon again, are you? Because I don’t think we can go through all that again.”

Kdin groaned, pressing his hands against his eyes as he sat up. Gavin saw that the dragon’s wounds had become his own, and that he would never see again out of those eyes. He felt bad about it, but what choice did they have? Then Kdin said the last thing Gavin thought he would hear.

“Thank you.”

Gavin blinked in surprise, his eyebrows coming together as he tried to process this.

“What? For what? Gouging your eyeballs out?”

“No, that hurts like a bitch,” Kdin said, grinding his teeth against each other as he continued to apply pressure to his damaged eye sockets. “But the essence of the Ender Dragon that the Mad King put in me, I can’t feel it anymore. You killed it.”

“Well, Michael did, actually,” Gavin said. “But, uh, you’re welcome, I guess.”

“We good here?” Michael asked, walking over to stand by Gavin’s side, glaring down at Kdin.

“I’m not about to bite your head off, if that’s what you mean,” Kdin said. “ _Shit_ , you know how to handle a sword.”

“Damn straight.”

“So what’s your deal?” Geoff asked as he and the others walked over to join them. “I doubt Ryan likes you a whole lot if he keeps you down here in his sex dungeon.”

“If I still had eyes I’d be rolling them about now,” Kdin said. “Well, you guys did inadvertently save me, even if you were fucking clueless about it. The least I can do is tell you what’s going on around here.”

“Awesome, story time!” Ray said, plopping down to sit on the floor.

“Fair warning,” Kdin said, “this story does _not_ end in happily ever after.”


	13. The Architect's Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

“Not everyone is lucky enough to live on the surface. There’s a handful of us who have to scrape out a living from down here as best we can. I don’t know why. If there’s a God, maybe he just hates us. We don’t tend to form bonds with each other--since our survival rate isn’t exactly high it’s just easier not to get attached.

“I lived most of my life underground. It’s a good way to avoid the ghasts and blazes, but since other monsters like to live in the darkness I could never stay in one area for long. I was always on the move, hoping to find some kind of shelter, a refuge from what had been my every day life. Now I wish I had let a fucking ghast just blow me up.

“When I first stumbled upon this place it was not the giant-ass palace it is today. At the time, I thought it was an abandoned fortress--you get a couple of those here, no idea where they came from but they’re always teeming with monsters. I was going to avoid this one completely, but then I noticed how calm everything was. You guys have been out there, it’s a madhouse, shit exploding around you every two seconds. 

“But this place, this place was so damn quiet. There were no monsters, no explosions. I thought maybe, somehow, this valley didn’t have any of that. That it was safe. So against every instinct I had, I walked up to the fortress. I was debating about whether or not I should go inside when Kerry showed up.

“He brought me inside, gave me some food, told me there was a bed available for me if I wanted it. I thought I had stumbled upon a fucking _god_ I was so grateful. I should have known there was a catch, because just as I was letting myself relax, _he_ showed up.

“The second I saw him I knew something was wrong but he was, I don’t know how to put it. Charismatic? Charming? Not in the Prince Charming sense, but he knew how to play the host. He said he and Kerry had moved into the old fortress at the bottom of the valley in the hopes of building a home to protect them against the horrors of the Nether. A safe haven for anyone who was tired of constantly living in fear. Then he asked if I wanted to help him, in exchange for having a home here forever. And I fell for it.

“I helped them turn that decrepit old fortress into what it is today. Once they realized I had a knack for design and architecture, they put me in charge of the entire project. It was a long time going, but every now and then a new person would show up and we would induct them into our little makeshift family. At least, that’s what I thought back then.

“As time went on, that man began to change. Well, not change so much as not bother to disguise his real intentions anymore. He’d already lured me into his service, so there was no need to keep up the hospitality act. I learned that the day I tried to leave.

“I wanted to experiment with soul sand, so I left the palace without telling anyone. I didn’t think I needed his fucking permission. He caught me just at the valley’s rim, accused me of betraying him, of abandoning the home he’d graciously allowed me to share. I tried to explain myself but the guy just wouldn’t _listen_.

“After that, everything was different. I felt trapped, a prisoner in the place I had helped build. Fucking ironic, huh? I always felt like I was being watched and I got paranoid as hell. And then people started to disappear. Friends I had made while living here, people I had grown to care about. Suddenly they would just be gone, and no one would say anything. Whenever I approached Kerry about it, he would just tell me to keep quiet, for my own sake. Then we finally finished work on the palace, and it was my turn to disappear.

“The King kept to himself a lot, and after our initial contact I rarely saw him. But I knew he was spending a lot of time down in the lowest reaches of the castle, a place where none of us were allowed to go. Only Kerry knew what he was up to down there, and he kept his mouth shut about it. I kept asking him but all he ever said was that the King was searching for ‘The End,’ whatever the hell _that_ meant. I don’t know if he ever found what he was looking for, but that dragon? That creature he forced inside of me? It came from _there_.

“Finally I just couldn’t take it anymore. The paranoia, the secrets, the fact that I wasn’t allowed to leave. I had busted my ass fixing up the place--it was more my creation than his--and I wanted out. I confronted him. And I paid the price for it.

“The King has always liked his experiments. He calls himself a man of science, the twisted jackass. I doubt I’d understand what happened to me even if I knew what it was. I was dragged down into the labs and thrown in a cell where I was fed little and barely got any sleep. Maybe he thought the dragon would take over faster if I was too weak to fight back. I don’t know what the hell he did, injected its DNA into my blood or used enchantments to fuse us together. But I could feel it, always, coiled inside of me, waiting to rip free.

“At first the transformations only happened once in a while, and usually after some kind of provocation from the King. I would black out while I became the dragon and only come to after I had changed back. Then it started to happen more and more, and I began to remember what happened during them. The King visited often, sometimes to observe, and sometimes to keep me in line. He paid more attention to me than he ever had while I was completely human. I became his favorite, his pet project. In time, it became clear that he was trying to phase the human out of me, until only the dragon was left, kept in check by a fleshy prison. The fucker.

“Lately I’ve rarely been in control, the dragon choosing to come out and play whenever it wanted. You all got a first-hand glimpse of what that’s like. It was getting harder and harder to fight back. If you guys hadn’t shown up, I don’t think I would have been able to hold out much longer. And then the King would have had his dragon.”

Kdin finished his story at last to the dumbfounded silence of the others. Jack had been wrapping his ruined eyes in bandages while he spoke, and leaned back once he had finished.

“That’s about all I can do for you,” he said. “Sorry, I don’t think I can save them. It must hurt.”

“You learn to develop a high pain tolerance at Casa del Crazy,” Kdin said.

“What happened to the others? The ones who disappeared?” Geoff asked.

Kdin hung his head.

“They didn’t survive the experiments. I’m all that's left.”

“But why would he go through all this? It can’t just be to fulfill his own sick, twisted perversions.”

Kdin shrugged.

“Who would stand up against a guy with power over an Ender Dragon? He would have secured his place in the Nether as King, and no one would oppose him.”

“What is it, Gavin?” Jack asked. Gavin had been quiet throughout, staring out at some corner of the room. Here was yet another testimony of Ryan’s madness, of how living in the Nether for so long had changed him. It made Gavin think about things he’d rather not.

“Gavin?” Geoff asked, picking up on his thoughts.

“It’s just,” Gavin was almost afraid to put this concern into words, but it had to be said. “If we do find him, if we can get him to talk to us, how much of ‘Ryan’ will be left? The Ryan we knew would never do this mental stuff everyone keeps talking about. He wouldn’t keep people prisoner or hurt anyone, not seriously. He’s the sort of bloke who would trap you in a hole but then bail you out after a few minutes. He can be a right prick sometimes, but Ryan was harmless. We want to find him and bring him home but . . . what if he’s not Ryan anymore?”

“Bullshit,” Geoff said. “There’s no way.”

“He’s got a point though,” Ray said. “This whole place is rigged with more traps than a jungle temple, and we just fought a fucking _dragon_.”

“He’s just been on his own for too long,” Michael reasoned. “Once we catch up to him he’ll snap out of it.”

“And what if he doesn’t?” Gavin asked. “What are we going to do if we find him, if he knows we came back for him, and it still doesn’t change anything?”

“What are you saying?” Geoff said. “That we shouldn’t have come back for him?”

“Of course not!” Gavin said. “But what if he’s dangerous?”

“Then we’ll handle it,” Michael said. “We’re not going to be able to really understand the situation until we see him, so instead of sitting around on our asses thinking about what we _might_ find, let’s go and get him.”

“Doors are still locked,” Jack said. “How do we get out?”

“Hang on,” Geoff said. “Where did that bastard Kerry go? He dragged Ray into the room but then he disappeared. You, dragon-boy,” he said, turning to Kdin. “Did you see where he went?”

“It’s ‘Kdin,’ and he probably slipped out while you guys were stumbling around in the dark,” Kdin said. “Why don’t you ask the guy he dragged in here?”

They all turned to Ray.

“Uhhh . . .”

“How the fuck could you not know?” Michael said. “You’re the one who got fucking kidnapped!”

“Does it count as a kidnapping if it was only for about ten seconds?” Jack asked.

“It was dark!” Ray protested. “He pulled me in and then ran off! I couldn’t see what happened!”

“You are the most useless fucking hostage ever,” Michael said.

“Well he didn’t go back out the doors,” Gavin said. “And he wasn’t in the room by the time we all got our night vision in gear. So he must have gotten out through some kind of hidden door.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Geoff said, then sighed. “Alright, everyone. Spread out and start looking.”

“Hoo-fucking-ray,” Michael said. “More secret doors. With our luck, we’ll end up drowning in lava.”

“How can you drown in--?”

“Shut up, Gavin.”

They began to search the walls and floor, looking for some kind of switch that would trigger an opening. The night vision potions were starting to wear off, making the search even more difficult. On top of that, they didn’t even know what exactly they were looking for, hoping that with their dumb luck they’d just stumble onto it.

“Oh fuck, found it!” Ray suddenly yelled.

Thank heavens for dumb luck.

They gathered around Ray who had located a small bump in the wall that turned out to be a button. When he pressed it, part of the wall slipped into the floor, leaving enough crawl space for a single person to escape.

“Must have gone this way,” Ray said. “He’s a little guy, he wouldn’t have any trouble squeezing through here.”

“What about us not-so-little guys?” Jack asked. “I’m not sure if Geoff and I will fit.”

“Maybe you should have laid off the cake a bit, Jack,” Gavin said.

“Ha ha.”

“Well we better hope we fit,” Geoff said, “because there’s no other way out of here.”

“What about Falkor over there?” Michael asked, jerking his thumb back at Kdin who was still sitting chained against the wall.

“The kid’s just going to be dead weight,” Geoff said. “We could always come back for him later. If we remember.”

“We can’t just leave him here,” Gavin protested.

“Where we’re headed, he’s safer if we leave him,” Jack said. “We can’t drag him around with us. If something happens, we might not be able to--”

“Excuse me,” Kdin said, raising his hand. “Can I have a say in this?”

They all turned to look at him.

“I built every inch of this place. I can find my way around here with my eyes closed. Or, without my eyes at all.”

“The last lackey we picked up locked us in a room with a fire-breathing dragon,” Geoff pointed out. “How do we know we can trust you?”

“Seriously? After everything I’ve gone through, do you really think I’d do _anything_ the King says? I’m through with that son of a bitch. I can manage on my own, but I can’t cut these chains. Please.”

Geoff turned back to the others.

“Thoughts?”

“I mean, we already kicked the dragon part’s ass,” Ray said. “He’s just a regular guy now, right?”

“And I doubt he wants to do Ryan any favors,” Jack said.

“Fuck it,” Michael said. “If he tries anything, we’ll bip his ass into next week.”

“Fine,” Geoff said. “Fine,” he said louder, talking to Kdin now. “We’ll set you free, but if you try anything, you’re as dead as that dragon.”

Jack carried his enchanted axe over to the chains that bound Kdin’s leg. In one quick move he struck, severing the metal links.

“I could try to cut off the cuff,” Jack said, “but that might require more precision than my axe has.”

“It’s fine,” Kdin said. “I can deal with this.”

They approached the hole, Ray kneeling down to crawl through first, followed by Michael and then Gavin. It wasn’t comfortable, but there was enough room to get through. Behind him, Gavin could hear the sounds of Kdin’s chain dragging along the ground and the banging of Geoff’s armor as he kept bumping his elbows and head. The tunnel was short but steep, and emerged out into a dark hallway lit by redstone torches. The lads waited for the others to make it through and eventually (with little struggle from Jack, contrary to Gavin’s expectations) they were all together.

“If you’re still crazy enough to go looking for the King, your best bet is the throne room,” Kdin said.

“Uh, tried that. Was a shit idea that led to near-drowning,” Michael said. Kdin shook his head.

“There’s a hidden door behind the throne that leads to the _actual_ throne room. He’ll be in there, and he’s probably expecting you.”

“Good,” Geoff said. “He can set out the snacks and booze for us. Which way?”

“Is this the hallway with the redstone torches or the glowstone orbs?”

“Redstone.”

“Head to the far end, hang a left, then take the third door on your right. Good luck, guys. I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish by seeing him, but if it’s an audience you want he’ll certainly give it to you.”

“We’re old friends,” Geoff said. “And it’s long past reunion time.”

“Friends?” Kdin scoffed. “What kind of people would want to be friends with that maniac?” And with that, he walked away, leaving them behind.

“Well, on that uplifting note,” Ray joked, and set off in the direction Kdin had indicated. Geoff and Jack followed, but Gavin hung back, Kdin’s final words echoing in his head.

_What kind of people would want to be friends with that maniac?_

Gavin felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over to see Michael staring at him.

“Like I said, we’ll handle it,” Michael said. “Let’s go find him first.”

Gavin nodded, and the two of them ran to catch up with the others.


	14. In the Eyes of the King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one, but an important one, I think. And now I'm caught up with all the finished chapters, so I better do some serious writing this week!
> 
> Enjoy!

“So they have defeated my dragon. Quite impressive, these warriors, though I lament the loss of my most promising experiment. Still, perhaps one of them will be more suited to the inner beast than the architect was. What do you think, Kerry?”

Kerry was kneeling on the floor, although this time it was not for the purpose of groveling at his king’s feet. There was a pain deep within him, a pain placed inside of him by the man standing over him and it was growing stronger every minute.

“My . . . liege,” he managed between gasps, clutching at his head as though it would break apart, “please, I did as you requested. I delivered them to Kdin. You promised--”

“I merely suggested that should you eliminate these trespassers I would relieve your burden. But not only do they live, but my precious dragon has been vanquished. And now you ask that I squander the creature I have so thoughtfully bestowed upon you? Perhaps if you were to relax and embrace your new power, you would not be so inclined to cast it aside.”

“Please . . . Ryan . . .”

The King’s face darkened to that of a storm, his fury evident in each wrinkle of his flesh as he bore down upon his unfortunate friend.

“Do not speak that name to me! That man is dead! He died years ago when those he trusted in abandoned him to this wretched place! He could not survive in this world . . .” The King’s voice grew soft, his words sad, and Kerry realized that he still did not yet know.

“But they--”

“Enough!” The King silenced him instantly, his sorrow evaporating in the heat of his wrath. “There is but one way for you to redeem yourself, old friend, and that is to eliminate these men who dare intrude into my kingdom yourself!”

And so the King cast his servant below, and as he fell the hope his news would have brought fell with him.

 

“We’re lost aren’t we?”

“No we’re not. I know exactly where we are.”

“We are so fucking lost.”

“Shut up! We just have to take a right up here. Or left. Shit.”

“How the hell did you mess this up? The directions were so fucking simple!”

“Then you tell us which way to go, dumbass!”

Gavin was beginning to get a headache from Michael and Geoff’s bickering. Kdin’s directions _had_ been simple enough, even if he hadn’t bothered to remember them. He’d just assumed someone else would. An assumption that they all seemed to have made, hence their current predicament.

“Look let’s just go back to where we started and work from there.”

“This is fucking ridiculous.”

“Hey, dipwads.”

They all turned to Ray who jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

“We need to go back out that door, turn right, and then take the second door over.”

There was a beat of silence.

“Why the hell didn’t you speak up sooner?” Geoff asked.

“Well I know you get touchy when I supplant your authority. Besides, it’s always fun to watch someone bitch you out.”

“Ray, you’re fired.”

“I don’t work for you, idiot.”

“You’re right. Let me hire you so I can kick your ass to the curb.”

“Okay, all in favor of moving on from this incredibly interesting but ultimately pointless conversation?” Jack asked. Gavin, Michael, and Ray all raised their hands.

“Fuck you all,” Geoff grumbled.

They went back out into the main hallway, Ray leading them this time, and as they got closer to the throne room, Gavin couldn’t help but wish they were still arguing back in that other room. In a few minutes, they would be face to face with Ryan. Or whatever was left of him. Just the thought of it made his stomach hurt.

But all too soon they were at the doorway and already passing through back into the “fake” throne room. They were careful to keep to the edges this time, wary of tripping whatever wire had sent them plunging down into Ryan’s indoor swimming pool. They crowded around the throne and Gavin actually had to perch himself on the arm to make room for the others as they avoided the floor.

“Dude, this thing makes me feel like a toddler in a high chair!” Ray said, swinging his legs back and forth over the seat. “Feed me, Mommy!”

“For the love of God, please shut up,” Geoff said. “Now how the fuck--oh!” Geoff reached around behind the back of the throne and wrapped his fingers around a hidden switch.

“You guys ready?” He asked.

No one answered him. They just cast nervous looks in each other’s direction, the anticipation heavy in the air.

“Yeah, me neither,” Geoff muttered, and pulled the switch.

There was a hiss and then a faint rumbling as concealed pistons activated, lowering part of the wall behind the throne into the ground, revealing another room within. This was it.

“Ladies,” Geoff said. He stepped in, closely followed by Jack, then Michael, Ray, and lastly Gavin. As soon as they saw the real throne room, they understood how the other could have only been a cheap imitation. Where the first room was dim and plain, this room shone with the red light of hundreds of redstone torches that illuminated pedestals containing numerous treasures. A glowing, enchanted text lay upon one, a collection of wither skulls upon another. Shining diamonds and golden bars littered the room, piled on either side of a massive throne that made the previous one look like a child’s chair.

But it didn’t matter how impressive the room was or how many treasures lay scattered around it, because the Achievement Hunters only had eyes for the man sitting on the throne. Although a shadow had cast the upper half of his face into shadow, when the man leaned forward to inspect them there could no longer be any doubt. It was Ryan.

Just like the rest of them, Ryan had changed in the four years since their separation, although his was not as physically evident. He still wore the same suit and kilt combo he’d adorned back in Achievement City, but he had added a cloak of skins to the ensemble, along with a twisted, golden crown on top of his head. His face bore little expression, the casual smile he had often worn among them gone. Several scars, undoubtedly from his struggles out in the Nether, criss-crossed his face. Although he was staring right at them he gave no indication that he recognized them, though Gavin was not sure if that was because they were standing in shadow or because he had lost his memory as well as his sanity.

After a few moments of silence, Ryan rose from his throne, holding his arms out ceremoniously.

“Welcome to my kingdom, travelers,” he said. He spoke strangely, as if he were acting a role instead of being the loud, word-flubber he had always been. “It is not often I find someone clever enough to surpass my challenges, and I have never seen any as strong as you. Please, allow me to see the faces of these brave warriors who have made it so far.”

Slowly, cautiously, Gavin stepped forward into the light. The look on Ryan’s face did not change immediately. It was as if he had turned to stone in that one instant, but then he came to life, and for just a second, Gavin could see his friend underneath the guise of the king.

“Gavin?”

Gavin, not knowing what else to do, shrugged and smiled sheepishly.

“Hey there, Ryan.”

Out of his peripheral vision, Gavin could see the others step up to join him, and Ryan’s eyes flickered to each of them in turn. Shock, disbelief, even the faint stirrings of joy, it was all there. But there was something else as well, a shadow hidden behind all those other emotions.

Doubt.

“Sorry it took us so long, buddy,” Geoff said. None of them approached Ryan, preferring to hang back and watch him. He may have still looked like the Ryan they had all known, but there was something about him that had undoubtedly changed, and it made them all uneasy.

“You, uh, you look great,” Ray said. “Really digging the crown.”

“How did you . . . how are you here?”

“Wasn’t fucking easy, let me tell you,” Michael said. “The fuck is up with all that Jigsaw-shit, dude? I mean, I knew you were creepy before, but this is taking it to a whole new level.”

“Hey, Michael,” Jack said. “This is a delicate situation, so why don’t we avoid the c-word?”

“C’mon, Jack, we’re talking to the guy who liked to put cows in his basement.”

“And did you forget about the last thing we just saw in his _new_ basement?”

“I think what Jack is trying to say is please don’t antagonize the psychopath,” Geoff said, then grinned at Ryan. “Just kidding, pal.”

All the time, Gavin watched Ryan who had been staring at the others as they argued, and his expression was steadily growing darker. The light that had flickered for a brief moment in his eyes was extinguished, leaving them cold and lifeless.

“Ryan . . .” Gavin said, calling the others’ attention to him. “Are you alright?”

Ryan smiled then, but it wasn’t a happy one.

“Of course. I am perfectly satisfied, _specter_.”

“What?” Gavin didn’t understand what he meant, and he did not like the look on Ryan’s face.

“So how was this accomplished?” Ryan mused as he began to pace the steps of his throne. “Are you spirits cast upon me by some foolish witch? Or perhaps you are figments come to torment me again. Mere delusions of my imagination. You are clever copies, I will admit, but you’re not real.”

“The hell is wrong with him?” Michael whispered. Gavin suddenly felt very cold.

“Ryan, what are you on about?” he said. “Of course it’s us!”

“ _No!_ You used to visit me every day, in my dreams, in my mind, but I sent you away. I freed myself from the likes of you!”

“But we’re real! What makes you think we’re not?”

Ryan looked up then, and his eyes were filled with an anguish that tore at Gavin’s heart.

“Because you’re all just how I remember you.”

There was no time for a response, because in the next instant Ryan had re-mounted the throne and pressed a button sitting on one of its arms. The last thing Gavin saw were Ryan’s crazed eyes as he looked at them with unmistakable hatred and a little bit of what might have been fear. And then suddenly, rudely and abruptly and for the second time that day, the floor disappeared beneath Gavin’s feet and he and the others were plunged into darkness.


	15. The World Fell Down and Now We Are Lost

Their landing was not as gentle as the pool of water had been. Gavin felt the rush of the fall for a mere second before his limbs made painful contact with a hard surface. His one saving grace was that he had been standing a little ahead of the others, and so did not suffer the tangled agony they all did when they crashed into each other as well as the floor.

“How many fucking trapdoors does that asshole have?” Michael, of course, was the loudest in the complaints, but Gavin could only hear his voice. There was not a single speck of light down here, and his eyes had not yet adjusted. While he waited for his vision to improve, Gavin did a quick inventory of his limbs to make sure nothing had been broken. When moving around didn’t cause him anything other than minor aches and soreness, he figured he would live.

“Did anyone crack their skulls open?” Geoff called out. They all sounded out in the negative. “Okay, next order of business. Where the fuck are we?”

“Do you have any night vision potions left?” Gavin heard Jack ask.

“No, we used them all up in the dragon room,” Geoff said.

“This is what I get for leaving the house,” Ray said. “I had a good life, plenty of food, nice views, a chicken. Oh fuck, Percival probably ate Conrad by now.”

“Ray, we haven’t even been gone for a day yet,” Jack said.

“He’s a natural predator! Who knows how quickly he succumbed to his natural instincts?”

At that point Gavin decided to tune out the conversation and focus on his surroundings. His eyes had adjusted a bit, but not a whole lot, which was concerning. He could see several very narrow passages branching out from their location, although he couldn’t make anything else out further than a few feet away. The gang was no more than a mass of slightly darker shapes--he could register their movement but that was about it.

“Man, I can’t see for dicks,” Geoff said. “I guess this is another one of Ryan’s creepy-ass traps.”

“What the hell was all that about?” Michael asked. “We finally find him and he drops us down a fucking hole. And what was that shit about us being ghosts or something?”

“No clue,” Geoff said. “But when I get back up there I am going to beat the crap out of him.”

“Get in line,” Michael muttered.

“Well I mean,” Gavin started, not sure if he was defending Ryan or condemning him, “he’s clearly not well. He’s--”

“Nutty as a fruit basket?” Jack offered.

“I know we knew he was crazy going in,” Ray said. “But seeing it for real, that was messed up.”

They all lapsed into silence. Gavin kept thinking about the look on Ryan’s face when he had dropped them into the hole. It made him uncomfortable, and he tried to put it out of his mind, but it kept coming back like a damn pestilence.

“Fuck this, I’m not just standing around here,” Michael said. “We need to--”

Michael’s words died away in the wake of an awful noise that bounced off the walls and filled their eardrums until they could hear nothing else. The roar of a beast, terrifying yet somewhat familiar.

“Was that a cow?” Jack asked.

“There is no cow on this ungodly earth that sounds like that,” Geoff said.

“What the bloody Christ is going on?” Gavin asked. They heard the noise again, even louder than before. It was as if someone had managed to combine cries of fury and screams of agony all in the same tone, and there was a distinct _animalistic_ quality to it. Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t human.

“Is it just me, or is that thing getting closer?” Ray asked.

The roars were much louder now, and between them Gavin could just make out the sounds of something heavy stomping its way towards them. There was also a faint scraping sound, like metal over a whetstone.

“What do we do?” Jack asked, a bit of panic creeping into his voice that Gavin felt as well.

“Maybe it’s another one of Ryan’s beasties,” Michael said. “And we gotta off it.”

“How?” Ray asked. “We’re blind down here.”

“I’ve got a couple of potions left,” Geoff said. “Some strength, some swiftness, and you’ve all got regenerating potions on you. We might be able to improvise something. We just need to stick together.”

Gavin had a working theory that the universe was always watching and that it waited for moments just like this. This sort of thing just happened too damn much for it to be a coincidence.

There was another roar--the loudest one yet--as something very big, very tough, and very angry began to charge them from the darkness.

“Look out!”

Everything was confusion as they bumped around in the dark, taking out weapons while trying not to stab each other and all the while trying to figure out where that _thing_ was coming from. And then they did the worst thing they could possibly have done.

They split up.

It wasn’t intentional, at least on Gavin’s part. He simply wanted to get as far away as possible from whatever creature had been set after them. In his panic he did the only thing he could think of and sprinted down the corridor directly in front of him, praying that he didn’t smack gob-first into something. He heard footsteps pursuing him and ran even faster, already imagining the monster’s hot, sweaty breath bearing down on the back of his neck while it reached out with its meaty hands to claw out his--

“Slow down, asshole!”

“Michael?” Gavin stopped so suddenly that Michael crashed into him from behind, knocking them both to the floor.

“You stupid fuck!”

“Michael, shhh!”

“You stupid fuck,” Michael repeated, quieter. They struggled to help each other to their feet and leaned back against the wall, panting. There were no sounds to indicate that a giant, unknown predator was stalking them, so Gavin allowed himself to breathe and calm down.

“Shit, where did the others go?”

So much for calming down.

“This is a fucking mess,” Michael said. “We don’t know where we are, what’s chasing us, or how we even get out of this nightmare. Any suggestions?”

“What, me?”

“ _Wot, me?_ Do you see any other British creeper pricks around here?”

“I can’t see anything.”

“Shut the fuck up. What do you think? Got any shit-for-brains ideas that just might be stupid enough to actually work?”

“Well I guess we could just keep walking until we find something. Or until something finds us.”

Gavin didn’t need to see to feel the intense eye roll Michael was sending his way.

“Brilliant. We’ll just keep walking until we find something. Fucking genius.”

“Well do you have any better ideas, then?”

“No. Let’s go.”

They proceeded down the corridor, quickly discovering that it branched out into other passageways every couple of feet.

“This place is a fucking _maze_ ,” Michael said. “We are literally rats in a maze right now.”

“If this is a maze, then there’s got to be a solution,” Gavin said. “Let’s keep going.”

They kept walking. Gavin kept his left hand on the wall as they went, an old trick he’d learned from exploring the labyrinthian underground of his lava caves. Eventually, they would have to find an exit.

Suddenly, a yell broke the uneasy silence, although with all the echoes in the place it was impossible to tell where it had come from.

“Was that Jack?” Gavin asked.

“I’m not sure. It might have been. Shit,” Michael said. “I have no clue how to get to him.”

“Is he alright? Do you think that thing got to him?”

“I don’t fucking know, Gavin!”

“Let’s hurry up then!”

Gavin broke into a run, keeping his hand against the wall. He had no way of knowing if he was getting any closer to where Jack was of course, and didn’t even think about what he could possibly do if he did catch up to him and the monster was there.

“Gavin, hang on a sec, let’s just think about this--”

_Wallop!_

Gavin collided with something solid and went sprawling onto his butt. At first he though he must have run into a dead-end, but slowly he realized that what he had thought was a wall was actually moving. And breathing.

“Michael . . .” Gavin choked out in a piteous whine that barely made it out of his mouth.

“What is-- _shit_.”

Behind him, Michael pulled out his sword, and the glow from the enchanted blade was just bright enough for Gavin to barely make out the creature looming over him. Although much of it was still in shadow, Gavin could just see brown fur covering a muscular body dressed in the finest diamond armor. As he’d expected, the thing wasn’t human. It was so tall that the light from Michael’s sword couldn’t reach up to illuminate its face.

“What the fuck is that thing?” Michael asked, holding up the sword even higher to try and get a better look. It was a mistake.

Faster than they could have anticipated for a creature of its size, the monster lunged forward, knocking into Michael who wasn’t able to move out of the way in time. Gavin watched as the beast threw Michael against the wall, the sword clattering out of his hand. Bows and arrows weren’t going to do shit against that thing with all its armor, even if he could see well enough to aim properly. So Gavin did the only thing he could think to do. Something really damn stupid. 

Gavin launched himself at the creature, leaping onto its back with an agility that he chalked up mostly to adrenaline. He was able to use the collar of the diamond chest plate for leverage, pulling himself up towards the head, which appeared to be covered with diamond as well. Gavin reached up to try and knock the helmet off and his hand brushed against something hard and pointy. What that a . . . horn?

Before he could figure it out, the monster reared back and Gavin lost his already shoddy grip. He hit the ground hard, bumping his head hard enough to make him feel dizzy for a few dangerous seconds. He faintly heard Michael yelling at him to run, but couldn’t focus enough to say anything back. Desperate to get away from the creature, Gavin stumbled to his feet and ran down the nearest hallway, occasionally banging against the walls as he sprinted blindly away from whatever horrid thing Ryan had put in here with them.

It was a long time before the dizziness in Gavin’s head went away, and even longer before he stopped running. When he was finally able to collect himself, he realized two very bad things.

One, he had no idea where Michael had gone, and in all likelihood had just run in the complete opposite direction of the best warrior in the entire group.

Two, there was something directly ahead of him in the passageway. Something with glowing, purple eyes. When he stared at it, the thing made a horrible screeching noise that made Gavin want to tear his eardrums out.

“ _Endermen!_ ”

“Ray?”

Gavin couldn’t pinpoint where the scream had come from, but it had definitely originated from a scared shitless Puerto Rican. Unfortunately, the endermen were the bigger priority right now. Gavin pressed his back against the walls so the damn bastards couldn’t teleport behind him. He’d encountered more than a few endermen in his time, some that even showed a more friendly disposition than their fellow brethren. More often than not, though, endermen were tall, nasty buggers that could do some serious damage if you bumped into them. And Gavin appeared to have stepped into a whole damn swarm.

First one, then two, then five pairs of purple eyes blinked into existence in the darkness around him. Gavin didn’t know which way to run, as every direction seemed to lead straight to disaster. Just when he was about to make a break for it and hope he’d slip past them, something slammed into his left side, sending a rush of pain through his bad shoulder. The resulting swearing told Gavin that he’d finally found Ray.

“Get off me, you pillock!”

“Gavin? Where are you? I can’t see for shit!”

They pulled each other to their feet, tripping over limbs and shouting all the while.

“What do we do? Do we fight?”

“I’m not taking on a bunch of endermen in the dark!”

“Well _what_ then?”

“Fucking run!”

“Run where?”

“Just run!”

Ray half-pulled, half-dragged Gavin down another hallway. Gavin felt a few ghostly touches on his back, but miraculously they weren’t stopped. Gavin’s lungs felt like they were on fire but the adrenaline and sheer terror kept his legs moving. He blindly surrendered to Ray’s lead and followed him through the darkness, hoping impossibly that the next bend would lead to home and then this whole nightmare would be over. When they rounded the next corner there was no sign of Achievement City or his beloved caves. There was, however, the next best thing.

Way ahead of them, the dimmest of lights glowed, nearly suffocated by the blackness surrounding it. Gavin no longer needed Ray to guide him, he booked it for the light, nearly overtaking Ray who kept up at his side. Within seconds they had both reached the source, found a door, and could see a much brighter room on the other side.

“Open it! Open it! Open it!” Ray shouted, tugging at Gavin’s shoulders, which only made the whole door-opening process more difficult. He finally managed to activate the switch keeping it shut, and they tumbled through, Ray slamming the door behind them.

“Oh thank fucking Christ. That was fucking terrifying. Wait, can endermen get through doors? Fuck, we are so fucked!”

“Hang on a sec,” Gavin said, but Ray kept going, working himself up.

“Those black and purple bitches are going to fuck me so hard in the ass oh god I’m too young and lazy to die like this--”

“Ray, shut up!” Gavin shouted. “I’m trying to listen!”

Gavin strained his ears to hear if the endermen had followed them down the hall, but he couldn’t pick up their screeches or the quiet, chirruping noises they made when less antagonized.

“I think we lost them,” Gavin said, exhaling out all his body’s tension and collapsing onto the floor. He wanted so badly to just lie there and sleep but even if he could remain uninterrupted he was too hyped up to be still for long.

“We’ve got to keep moving,” Gavin said. “We need to find our way out of here.”

“Do you think any of the others made it to this part?” Ray asked, looking around the room they were in. It was fully illuminated by glowstone that fortunately wasn’t bright enough to sting their eyes after being in the dark for so long. Three doors branched off to the left, right, and straight ahead, doubtless leading towards more twisted horrors.

“Maybe,” Gavin said. “Which way do you reckon we ought to go?”

But before they could make a decision something else happened that told Gavin he wasn’t catching a break any time soon.

“ _Somebody help meeeee!_ ”

“Is that Geoff?” Ray asked, peering through the tiny windows in the door that led back out to the first maze. A moment later he pulled back and nearly tripped over his own feet. “Oh _shit_!”

“Wh--” Gavin’s question was answered for him as Geoff came barraging through the door, which slammed shut behind him, only to explode outwards as the monster from earlier smashed into it.

Lit up by the glowstone walls, the monster was fully visible for the first time. Bigger in the light than it had seemed in the dark, the creature looked to be a full eight or nine feet, and was covered from head to toe in diamond armor. At the moment though, Gavin couldn’t care less what the damn thing was wearing, because now he could finally see its face.

He had been right in suspecting that it wasn’t human. In fact, there was nothing remotely human about it. A snout loomed out from where a regular nose and mouth should have been, with beady brown eyes peeking out from either side. Instead of skin there was brown fur, which clumped in odd places and gave the whole thing a mangled look. And completing the fearsome ensemble were two long horns that poked up through the diamond helmet, as sharp and deadly as any sword. It was as though someone had taken a normal cow and mutated it into a muscular, killer beast.

Usually Gavin would say that he’d never seen anything like it before . . . except that he had once, in a vision sent to him as he slept in the ruins of Achievement City. That time he’d been staring at the creature from above as it paced below in the pit Ryan had trapped it in. And Kerry had stood looking on in horror as Ryan warned him not to fail his king again.

_Edgar._

“Jesus Christ.” The words slipped out of Gavin’s mouth without even registering in his brain. They just sort of tumbled out and lay there, as numb as Gavin felt inside. “Kerry?”

For a lingering second, Gavin locked eyes with the creature and imagined he could see a trace of humanity clinging to its gaze. Then the beast reared back, letting out a roar that vibrated Gavin’s teeth in his mouth.

And then it charged.


	16. Here We Go Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost at the end now. Less than five chapters to go, and probably fewer than that. Thanks to everyone who has left a kudo or comment.
> 
> Enjoy!

It would have been smart to stick together, to try and fight Edgar while they had the numbers on their side, to take this thing down instead of fleeing like a frightened bunch of endermen when confronted with water. That definitely would have been the smart thing to do.

So, naturally, Geoff, Ray, and Gavin immediately separated and ran off in completely different directions. Geoff chose the door on the left while Ray booked it straight ahead and Gavin veered right. He was confronted with yet another maze, although this one was dimly lit with redstone torches, so it was far easier to navigate. Which turned out to be a good thing, because even though it had had a 33.33333333 and so on chance, the thing that used to be Kerry had chosen to follow him.

The panic that had subsided for a few seconds was now back in full force. Gavin was alone, and his arrows weren’t going to do crap against that thing, regardless of their enchantments. He did a quick inventory of the remaining potions on his person. Potion of Poison. Shite. It wouldn’t do anything with all that armor on. Potion of Regeneration? He’d definitely be needing that soon. Maybe he should take it preemptively. And finally, Potion of Swiftness.

Actually, that one sounded like a bloody fantastic idea right now. Problem was, he couldn’t afford to stop running long enough to get it out of his bag.

“Ah, sausaging bollocks!”

The creature was still in pursuit, so Gavin did something desperate. He took out his bow and started firing blindly over his shoulder, hoping to get a lucky shot in but knowing he was just wasting arrows. God, he was so stupid! Why hadn’t he brought a sword instead? Or learned how to fight better? Or done a million other things that would have prevented him from being in this situation at all?

Gavin fired another shot over his shoulder, and now he was starting to suspect that someone up there really had a thing for British pricks because he hit the creature right above its chest plate, his arrow embedding itself in flesh. The beast roared in pain, and for once Gavin did the smart thing by taking advantage of its momentary distraction to fire again. Two more arrows found their marks, though none were deadly. Gavin aimed a third arrow at the creature’s head but hesitated. If Kerry was somehow still in there, would this change him back to normal like Kdin’s injuries had, or would it kill him? Kerry certainly hadn’t done them any favors in the time they had been in the Nether, but, in a way, he had saved Ryan, and kept him sane for as long as he could. He’d stood by him as a friend even after all this, been there for him when they couldn’t be.

But whatever Kerry had done in the past, now he was a monster out for blood, as Gavin was painfully reminded when his reluctance allowed Edgar to lunge out and strike him with a heavy hand, sending him flying down the hallway until he slammed painfully against a corner and collapsed against the floor. The creature, now blinded by pain as well as rage, began to charge, but Gavin couldn’t bring himself to move out of the way. Instead, he closed his eyes, as if being gouged by a giant cow-beast would be made somehow less painful if he didn’t see it coming.

“Over here, you sick animal fuck!”

There was a clang of metal on metal and when Gavin looked up he saw Michael holding his blade against the creature’s, keeping it from lobbing Gavin’s head off. But he wasn’t alone. Ray was right behind him, and after checking to make sure Gavin was okay, he took out his own sword.

“I got this, get out of here!”

Gavin didn’t know what Ray was talking about until he saw that Michael wasn’t standing up against the creature so much as crouching, and that he was barely able to keep its sword at bay. When Ray intervened, Michael collapsed to the ground, clearly out of energy and hurting badly.

“Came off the worse to bunch of zombies,” Michael panted as Gavin scrambled over to him. “Those smelly, green fuckers. At least Ray was there to save my ass.”

“When did you get into this part of the maze?” Gavin asked.

“Right after I lost you in the first one. I thought about going back, but thought I could find the exit and beat the shit out of Ryan until he got you all out.”

“You stupid moron. You can’t beat the crap out of every problem.”

“Says you.”

“This is really touching, seriously,” Ray said. “I’m so overwhelmed by your gooey man-love I’m gonna puke, but I can’t keep this guy off you both forever!”

“Who says you have to?” Michael said, struggling to get to his feet. Ray parried another blow from the creature and tried to duck around behind it.

“You are wrecked to shit! You can’t fight! I used up my last potion getting you away from that fucking zombie mob!”

“Oh!” Gavin eyes widened as he scrambled to remove his bag from his shoulders. Fumbling around he pulled out his remaining potions, squinting in the dim light to find the one he wanted.

“Michael, here!”

Gavin shoved his Potion of Regeneration into Michael’s face and Michael nearly dropped it.

“What--?”

“Drink it! Now!”

Michael immediately uncorked the bottle and chugged the entire thing. He sat still as the potion took effect, and then sprang to his feet, sword in hand and ready to go.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” Michael shouted, running to Ray’s side. “Come here, you brown bitch!”

“Hey!”

“Not you, Ray, sorry.”

Gavin watched as his two friends teamed up to take down Edgar. He wanted to help, but he was nearly out of arrows, and with everyone moving around so much, there was no way he would risk hitting Michael or Ray instead. The two were landing some serious blows, hacking away at the bits of brown flesh unprotected by diamond armor. Soon, blood matted the fur, which somehow made the monster look even scarier. But it was hurt. They were winning.

The creature must have sensed its disadvantage too, because after sending Michael and Ray back with a wide sweep of its sword, it turned and fled deeper into the maze.

“Where do you think you’re going, you fuck?” Michael yelled, immediately giving chase. “Come back here and let us finish kicking your cow-ass!”

“Michael, wait!” Ray called after him, but Michael was already disappearing into the darkness. “God dammit.” Ray ran after him, looking back over his shoulder as he went.

“Go find Geoff and Jack! We’ll finish this guy off and then meet up with you!”

“How are you going to do that? We’re trapped in a bloody maze, aren’t we?”

But Ray was already gone, leaving Gavin alone.

“Bollocking _bitch_.”

There was nothing for it. Gavin could try to follow Michael and Ray and probably get lost or worse, run into the monster before they did, or he could try and find the others and get out of this damn maze. He turned and headed in a different direction, keeping his left hand firmly planted on the wall as he jogged through the corridors. He continued on for a long time, this second maze surprisingly empty of scary things trying to do him in. Still, Gavin didn’t let his guard down, especially knowing that Edgar was in here with him.

He had been walking for awhile when he heard low voices up ahead. Gavin approached them slowly, straining to pick up what they were saying.

“--it, that’s my bad arm!”

“Stop being such a baby, you big baby.”

“Then stop jabbing your armor into my side!”

“You know this wouldn’t even be a problem if you hadn’t wandered off on your own.”

“You ran away too!”

“I strategically relocated myself!”

Such bickering could only belong to the two remaining members of the group, so Gavin ran forward until he saw their figures in the distance. Jack was hunched over slightly, gripping at his left upper arm, while Geoff walked beside him, trying not to bump into him in the narrow corridor.

“Gents!” Gavin called out as he ran. “Hang on!”

Jack and Geoff turned quickly, weapons raised, but as soon as they saw it was Gavin they relaxed and waited for him to catch up.

“Hey, Gav. Glad to see you’re still in one piece,” Geoff said. “It’s more than Jack can say.”

“I got ambushed by a ton of skeletons right after we all split up,” Jack said, showing Gavin his arm. It looked as though it had only recently healed, and there were still several red marks showing where the injuries had been. “I managed to lose them and found my way to this second maze.”

“When I found him, he was an arrow pin cushion,” Geoff explained. “And the idiot dropped his regenerative potion, so I had to use mine to fix him up. You’re welcome by the way,” he said pointedly to Jack who rolled his eyes.

“I already said thank you, what more do you want?”

“I want to get out of this maze, that’s what. Gavin, have you seen Michael or Ray?”

“They went after Kerry,” Gavin said. “He was pretty badly injured, so they might actually be able to do him in but I’m not--”

“Whoa whoa whoa. Back up a sec there,” Geoff said. “Kerry? Kerry’s in here too? When I get my hands on that little freak I am going to let out some serious pent-up aggression.”

“Um, actually . . .” As clearly as possible, Gavin tried to explain what Ryan had done to Kerry, but he still had to repeat himself a couple of times before Geoff and Jack both understood.

“That is fucked up,” Geoff said. “I never liked the little twerp, but that is still fucked up.”

“How the hell does this mutating stuff even work?” Jack asked. “How do you combine a tiny person with a dumb cow and get _that_ terrifying freak of nature?”

Gavin shrugged. “Dunno, science and stuff, I guess.”

“Science and stuff. Great,” Geoff sighed. “So we’re stuck in here with Franken-Kerry, who’s being chased by Michael and Ray, and we still don’t know if there’s a way out of here.”

“There has to be,” Gavin said. “There was in all the other traps. We just have to find it.”

“Well, look at you being all optimistic and shit,” Geoff said. “Alright, let’s keep going then. Gavin, since this whole thing was your idea, you can lead the way.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely. That way, if anything else tries to kill us, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Cheers.”

They continued to make their way through the maze, which remained empty of anything but themselves. The complete lack of enemies made Gavin more nervous--it felt like they were about to run into something really bad. They had been walking for ages in complete silence when Jack spoke up.

“So, before we get out of here, there’s something we should probably discuss.”

“Yes, your beard is getting ridiculous and you need to shave it. Everyone thinks so.”

“Come on, Geoff. Be serious for a minute.”

Geoff sighed, ran a gloved-hand through his messy hair. “I’m pretty damn tired of being serious. But fine, go ahead.”

“We need to figure out what we’re going to do about Ryan.”

“What d’you mean?” Gavin asked, his stomach clenching.

“Geoff, you know what I’m talking about,” Jack said. “We need to decide it now, rather than later.”

“Geoff? What’s he on about?” Gavin asked.

“What do you want to do?” Geoff asked Jack, ignoring Gavin.

“It’s not like we thought, Geoff. He’s dangerous, changed. It might not even be safe to bring him top-side anymore, and if we leave him down here he could cause some serious trouble.”

“What are you saying?”

“You know what I’m saying. And you’re thinking the same thing.”

“Alright.” Gavin stopped in his tracks, preventing them from moving forward. “What are you two talking about?”

Geoff looked at Gavin, a sad expression on his face that was readable even in the dim light.

“Look, Gav--”

“Just tell me.”

Geoff sighed, looked over at Jack, and then back again.

“Once we get out of here and catch up with Michael and Ray, we’re going to have to find Ryan again. And when that happens, if we can’t bring him back to himself, we’re going to have to take him out.”

Gavin stared at him.

“You’re not serious.” When Geoff said nothing, Gavin turned to Jack but was met with equal silence. “You can’t, this is _Ryan_ we’re talking about--”

“Is it though?” Jack asked. “You saw him up there, you’ve seen what he’s done. Do you want someone like that back home?”

“It’s his home too!”

“Gavin,” Geoff said, “I like this about as much as I love cuddling up next to a giant fucking snake, but that guy,” Geoff shook his head, “he’s not the person we came down here to find.”

“But if somehow he was still, if we could find some of the old Ryan still in him, we wouldn’t have to kill him, right? We could do something to make him . . . better, right?”

“I don’t know, Gav,” Geoff said. “I hope to God yes, but I don’t think there’s anything left. Not anymore.”

“Maybe--”

The conversation was cut off as Edgar appeared out of nowhere, striking Geoff in the back with such force that he flew several feet down the corridor before Gavin or Jack could turn around. Gavin had no idea how a beast of that size and bulk managed to be so sneaky, or how it had escaped from Michael and Ray. But through whatever combination of events it had managed to sneak up behind them and now Geoff was lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood. And then, for whatever reason, the monster ran off again without attacking Jack or Gavin, disappearing down another turn in the maze. Maybe it realized how badly it was injured and was trying to go about killing them strategically. Maybe it was just dumb.

“Geoff!” Gavin yelled. Jack was already at the fallen man’s side, removing his armor to get at the wound.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Jack said. “His armor took most of the damage.”

“Are you sure? Because it looks pretty damn bad.”

“I think it’s mostly by his neck and his lower back--Geoff, turn over, no the other way--if we had any more regenerative potions they would fix this up no problem.” Jack looked at Gavin hopefully but Gavin shook his head.

“I gave mine to Michael.”

“Oh.” Jack started tearing off pieces of his shirt in long strips to use as makeshift bandages.

“Just give me a steak and I’ll be fine,” Geoff groaned. “I’m so hungry I could eat that whole mutant cow.”

“Look at you, unreasonably demanding solid, healthy food,” Jack muttered as he wrapped Geoff up. “I thought you would have wanted a drink instead.”

“I changed my mind. I want that. Give me some booze for my last meal.”

“You’re not dying.”

“No, but I am out of the fight. Gavin, c’mere.”

Gavin scooted across the floor until he was sitting on the other side of Geoff who turned his head to look at him. After lifting his arms so Jack could reach underneath with the bandages, Geoff pointed at his armor lying discarded on the ground.

“Put it on,” he said. “That mangy creeper-skin isn’t going to do you any good against that thing.”

“What?”

“Stop playing dumb and just listen,” Geoff said, wincing as Jack tightened the strips. “Ow, watch it, asshole. Gavin, I am in no condition to go chasing after giant boogey-cows and Jack has to make sure I don’t die of blood loss or some stupid shit. Plus, he’s not doing so hot either. We don’t know where Michael and Ray are. Maybe that monster managed to outrun them. Maybe . . .” Geoff didn’t finish his sentence. He didn’t have to. “What I’m saying is, there’s a good chance you’re the only one left who can take that thing on.”

“Bullshit! I can’t fight that thing, I’m rubbish at fighting!”

“Dear lord, how can you stand being so stupid? You got us to the Nether, found this place, figured out how to get out of the water trap and managed to defend yourself against some of the nastier jerk-offs in here. But the craziest thing? You single-handedly got us all together when I thought we’d never talk to each other again. If you can do all that, you can fight some stupid-ass monster. Plus, that thing is beaten to within an inch of its life, so one hit from even someone as wimpy as you ought to do the trick.”

Gavin had rarely heard such praise from Geoff before. Sometimes it just didn’t need to be said out loud, but usually he was just a prick who didn’t do anything to deserve praise. It was a good moment.

“Is this the part where you say you’re proud of me and call me your son?” Gavin teased. He couldn’t help it. He loved playing the prick.

“You are the annoying little brother I wish I never had. Now get the hell out of here and finish that thing.”

“Aw, Geoffrey. That is so sweet, you big, soft mugwump.”

“Please stop making up words. My Gavin Free-normal person dictionary is already big enough.”

Gavin grinned and went to pick up Geoff’s armor. The leg pieces were too long but those would probably slow him down anyway. The armor smelled ripe with sweat and Geoff’s usual stink, and Gavin grimaced as he strapped on the chest piece and jammed the helmet on.

“Jesus Christ, Geoff, did you fart in here?” Geoff gave a weak chuckle. He was lying propped up against the wall now, Jack having done all he could.

“Dude, I farted _all over_ that thing.”

“That is just gross.”

At last, Gavin stood up. He felt a bit uncomfortable in the armor, unused to its weight. Carefully, he lifted up Geoff’s enchanted sword, which fortunately had not gotten much use and was therefore still in excellent condition.

“How do I look? Do I look heroic?”

“You look like a jackass playing dress-up,” Geoff grumbled, but Jack flashed him the thumbs up.

“You look great, Gavin. Like you’re ready to win a fight.”

Gavin nodded, and before he could think about it anymore he turned and jogged in the direction the creature had gone. Behind him, Geoff and Jack, true to form, immediately started bickering.

“Are you sure this is sanitary? Am I going to get some weird, bearded disease from your sweaty shirt rags?”

“Are you going to pass out soon? Want some help with that?”

“Seriously, I’m pretty sure not all this blood is mine. If you give me AIDS I am going to be so pissed!”

Gavin turned a corner and their voices faded away, leaving him completely alone.

One way or another, this would be over soon.


	17. Long Live the King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit long but I couldn't split it anywhere. I'm not 100% happy with how it turned out, but I think that's mostly because I always feel that the lads and gents get out-of-character when things get really serious. They just joke around too much for things to ever stay solemn for more than five seconds.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

“Oi! Over here, you giant lump of sausage! Come and have a tasty Gavin sandwich!”

Gavin’s yells reverberated off the walls, bouncing back and forth all over the damn place. He banged Geoff’s sword against the walls for added noise, trying to draw the creature towards him. At the same time, he tried to work out a plan for what he would do when it did find him.

Arrows were out of the question. Even if he could spot the creature from a long ways off, he’d left those weapons behind with Geoff and Jack since he couldn’t reach them with the added bulk of Geoff’s armor. Plus, what were the odds he’d get in a lucky shot twice?

So the only thing for it was to attack close-range, which Gavin was not a fan of. He’d never won in sword combat unless it was against a dumb skeleton or a mindless zombie. Killing this thing with all its diamond armor on would take a great deal of finesse Gavin didn’t think he had in him. But what else could he do?

Oh well. He’d just wing it then. Seemed to be working out so far.

“Come on, get out here! I’m the only one left you haven’t gotten your smelly hooves on!”

Which wasn’t, strictly speaking, true. Gavin felt generally achey from the number of times he’d been flung against the ground, and his left shoulder screamed bloody murder every time he raised his arm. He was in terrible shape, actually, but Edgar didn’t need to know that.

“Come on, you bastard! Where are you?”

It’d better show up soon, before Gavin lost his nerve completely. Just when he was starting to second-guess whether the creature had run in this direction after all, he heard a shuffling down the corridor ahead of him.

“Aw, Christ.”

Gavin could just make Edgar out at the far end of the passageway. The thing was moving towards him cautiously, as though it realized what he intended to do, and Gavin wondered how intelligent it actually was. Hopefully not too bright.

“Well?” Gavin called, raising Geoff’s sword in the air even though his knees were starting to shake. “Come on then!”

The beast let out a terrifying roar and began to charge him, far faster than Gavin had anticipated it would be able to move with its injuries.

“Oh shit!”

Gavin nearly dropped the sword as he fumbled to grab his bag. He’d purposefully not drunken the potion earlier to make sure its effects would last as long as possible. He’d wanted to wait until he found Edgar, but now, as the beast rapidly closed in on him, he wished he’d at least already had it in his hand. Finally he got the damn bag open and located the correct bottle, his potion of swiftness. Hopefully, it would do the trick. When the beast was a mere dozen feet from him, Gavin uncorked the bottle and downed the entire thing in one go.

Everything slowed. At first, Gavin thought he had mistaken the colors and taken a potion of slowness instead, but then he realized that things hadn’t slowed down as much as his brain was taking less time to process them. So when Edgar lunged towards him, Gavin, with an agility and speed he had never been capable of before, simply stepped out of the way, ducking underneath the creature’s outstretched arms.

Gavin felt fantastic, he felt light. Moving took the least bit of effort and something as exhausting as running ten miles seemed the easiest thing in the world. But he had to focus. The last thing he needed was for the potion to wear off while he was dicking about. Edgar was already turning round again to have another go. Gavin dodged it with ease but he was going to have to make a move soon. He studied the creature’s armor, looking for unprotected gaps. Its arms weren’t covered, he supposed he could lop one off, and there was the barest sliver of brown fur peeking out between its boots and diamond trousers.

But there was only one place he could hit to make sure this beast stayed down for good. Right in the neck, where vital tendons were woefully naked and exposed. A hit there would most certainly be fatal. He could see the broken shafts of two arrows already embedded from their earlier encounter which had done a lot of damage on their own. Gavin would be putting himself at quite a bit of risk to get there, but with his added speed, it was just possible.

Gavin gripped his sword with both hands, the way he’d seen Michael do when going in for the kill.

“Sorry, Kerry,” Gavin said, and leaped forward. The monster had just raised its sword above its head, leaving its neck completely open and vulnerable. It clearly intended to cave Gavin’s skull in with one blow. But Gavin’s enhanced speed was too quick for it, and he had his own sword pointed directly underneath the beast’s chin. Gavin couldn’t help it. At the last second, he closed his eyes. Then he thrust the sword upwards.

Several seconds passed in complete stillness. The only indication that anything had happened at all came with a warm wetness that began to drip down Gavin’s arms. Steeling his stomach and fighting down bile, Gavin opened his eyes.

The beast was no longer moving, although its arms still held its sword above its head. It was like it was frozen in time save for the steady drip drip of red blood that oozed out from where Gavin’s sword had pierced flesh and bone.

Gavin didn’t look up to see where the blade had ended up. He couldn’t. With a groan he withdrew his sword. The sound of ruined flesh made him want to vomit and he nearly did, leaning against the wall for support as he began to retch. There wasn’t anything to throw up, though, and soon Gavin managed to get ahold of himself again. He turned around to see what he had done.

Edgar had dropped its arms, relinquishing its sword which clattered onto the ground. Its bright blue armor was now stained red. It collapsed onto its knees, its head stretched upwards at an angle that made the wound look even more gruesome. Gavin watched. Waited.

After a few minutes, Edgar began to change. Its bulky frame became smaller, less angular, while the brown fur melted into white skin. Pieces of armor began to fall off as they outgrew the body wearing them. Hooves turned into hands, to feet. Horns retreated into a skull that began to grow shaggy, blonde hair. The only thing that didn’t change was the blood.

Gavin dropped his own sword, walked over to where Kerry lay dying on the ground. He felt a strange numbness. Not grief, exactly, but there was a sadness there.

“Kerry?” It came out as barely more than a whisper. Kerry’s eyes came around to meet his but he didn’t speak. Maybe he couldn’t. Instead, Kerry reached out with his hand and awkwardly patted Gavin’s foot, the only part of him he could reach. _It’s okay._

“I’m sorry,” Gavin said anyway. Kerry twisted his head from side to side and then lay still. His lips moved but no sound came out.

“How pathetic.”

Gavin turned around so fast his neck cricked. Ryan was standing in the corridor with him, looking down on Kerry’s body with clear disgust. Gavin didn’t even think to go for his sword. He just continued to stand and stare.

“I bestowed upon him the power of a true warrior and he is bested by a fool.” Ryan shook his head, his golden crown glinting in the red light. “What a waste.”

“Fix him,” Gavin said, so quietly he didn’t even hear himself.

“What?”

“I said, fix him,” Gavin repeated, stronger this time. “If you can turn him into that monster you have the power to heal him. You can save him.”

“And why,” Ryan sneered, “would I want to save the life of a useless servant?”

“Because he’s still your friend even after everything you’ve done.”

“Friend,” Ryan said in such a way that Gavin could not tell if it was a question or a statement. “A king has no friends, only subjects.”

“Well good thing you’re not really a king then, eh?” Gavin said. Ryan’s eyes flickered from Kerry’s body to the redstone-lit walls to the clusters of darkness at either end of the passageway. Anywhere, Gavin realized, except directly at him. “Come on,” he said, “you’re not really buying all that crap, are you? You remember where you came from. Up top, with us. Remember Achievement City? And knocking me off the giant wool Tower of Pimps? Or setting a bunch of silverfish after me for laughs? You’ve got to remember it, Ryan.”

Ryan flinched at the sound of his own name as though the word itself was an attack.

“You dare speak to me in this manner--”

“Stop talking like you’re from the bloody Middle Ages! Talk normal! Talk like Ryan!”

“You’re not real,” Ryan said, but he sounded less sure of himself than he had before. And he still wouldn’t look at Gavin. “You’re only here because I wanted you all to come after me. But you never did. I waited for so long. But when I decided to stop waiting you wouldn’t leave. You’re still here, trying to trick me--”

Gavin had had enough. He felt like he’d been smacking on a brick wall with his bare hands, making no progress and getting only scrapes and bruises for his trouble. It was time to use a sledgehammer. Gavin jumped at Ryan who, since he refused to look at him, didn’t react in time. Gavin seized the golden crown from his friend’s head and flung it. It bounced off the wall before striking the ground and rolling away. There was an audible _crack_ upon impact as the fine piece of craftsmanship split right down the middle. Then Gavin slammed Ryan against the wall, gripping both of his shoulders tightly.

“I’m not just a bloody memory!” Gavin shouted. “Neither is Michael, Geoff, Ray, or Jack! We’re real, we came back for you.” Gavin let go of Ryan’s shoulder to remove Geoff’s chest piece, which he dropped unceremoniously onto the ground. He tugged on his shirt until his left shoulder was exposed, showing off the giant burn scar that’d never properly healed. “See this? I got this when that damn ghast blew up the portal, back when you went into the Nether to save my sorry arse. You never saw this, so if I’m just some figment of your imagination, how can I have it?”

Ryan stared at the scar, the same emotions Gavin had seen on his face when they’d first confronted him returning to play across his features. Finally, at last, his gaze rose to meet Gavin’s.

“Could the Gavin you knew have done that?” Gavin asked, gesturing towards Kerry. “We changed, Ryan. We grew up, grew apart. We’re different now. We’re real.”

Slowly, Ryan reached up. His hands clasped Gavin’s upper arms. Solid. Real.

“Come back now, Ryan,” Gavin said. “It’s time to stop this nonsense, you silly pleb.”

Gavin held his breath. Whatever Ryan said, it would decide what had to happen next.

“All this time,” Ryan said slowly, “and you still haven’t learned how to speak real English words.”

Gavin let out a breathy laugh. Yes, yes, _yes_.

“You’re one to talk. You can hardly string together two sentences without messing up your words.”

“I can’t help it if I use fancier words than you do!”

“You just sound dumber when you use words you can’t pronounce!”

“You’re dumb!”

“You’re dumb!”

They both broke off laughing. It was incredible that after four years they could still work each other up like this. And as if some magic spell had been broken, Ryan relaxed, the harsh cruelty that had lined his face dissipated in the wake of his laughter, and for the first time Gavin saw him as Ryan and not the Mad King he’d become.

“Knew you were in there somewhere,” Gavin said.

“That makes one of us,” Ryan said. “I thought you gave up on me.”

“Better late than never?” Gavin tried a smile, but it didn’t feel right on his face so he dropped it. “We’re here now. It’s probably not enough, but we’re here now.”

“I’ll take it,” Ryan said. Then he looked at something over Gavin’s shoulder and his eyes grew wide. “Shit!” He stared at Kerry’s body as though seeing it for the first time. Gavin couldn’t believe he had nearly forgotten about him. He’d been lying still for a long time now.

Ryan ran to the side of his fallen servant and kneeled down, not minding the blood that began to soak into his kilt. From within the folds of his cloak he withdrew several potions of varying colors and began to apply them. Some he used to cover Kerry’s many wounds and some he poured directly down Kerry’s throat. Gavin watched as he worked, almost not daring to hope, but hadn’t he just seen one miracle already?

“Come on, Kerry,” Ryan muttered, his hands never pausing in their administrations. “Dammit, Kerry, hang in there.”

Slowly, with each new application of potion, Kerry’s wounds began to heal. He was still covered in blood, but it became clear that he was no longer bleeding.

“What did you give him?” Gavin asked.

“Several levels of regenerations, couple potions of healing, a blood-replenishing potion I invented for a . . . project I was working on,” Ryan said. “If this doesn’t bring him back, then I’ve just killed the only friend I had left in this place.”

“Let’s hope he comes out of it, then.”

Together they waited to see if the potions would work. Five minutes passed, then ten. At last, Kerry opened his eyes.

“Kerry?” Ryan was by him in an instant. “How do you feel? Can you talk?”

“My . . . liege?” Kerry’s voice was very hoarse, which was to be expected after having been stabbed in the throat. Ryan flinched at his imaginary title.

“Don’t, don’t call me that,” he said. “Please.”

Kerry took in Ryan’s disheveled appearance, his softened expression, and his crown-less head. Then he sighed.

“Thank fucking God.”

Ryan sighed in relief, but Kerry wasn’t done.

“You fucker. You goddamn crazy fucker.”

“Kerry--”

“No, fuck you! I’ve been waiting for ages to verbally pimp slap you and now that you’re sane enough not to kill me for it, I’ve got a few things to get off my chest.”

“But--”

“Number one. A cow? You turned me into a goddamn _cow_? Kdin gets to be an awesome dragon, and I get a cow. If you’re going to forcibly mutilate my DNA, at least turn me into something cool!”

“Actually, you were pretty scary,” Gavin interjected. “You were a lot harder to kill than Kdin was.”

“Really? Aw, thanks, Gavin,” Kerry smiled and then glared at Ryan. “Number two. For the record, your ‘scientific experiments’? They’re creepy, and really, really disturbing. That thing with the zombie ghast? No. Just, no.”

“Well,” Ryan said, trying to defend himself, “I mean, it was kind of cool-looking, right?”

“Number three,” Kerry said. “I hope you know that I put up with being your bitch because I _like_ you, but you have seriously tested the limits of our friendship. You owe me _big_ time.”

“Duly noted. Anything else?”

“Probably. I’ll bring them up as they come to me.” Kerry sat up gingerly, and then he actually smiled a little. “It’s good to have you back again, man.” Ryan nodded.

“Wish I could say it was good to be back,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of cleaning up after myself to do.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll give you a hand. I’m always cleaning up your messes anyway.”

“Right,” Ryan said. It looked like it was finally dawning on him just how mental he had gone. This wasn’t just about some hurt feelings and a couple of bruises. Lives had been lost.

“You weren’t in your right head,” Gavin said, tying to reassure him, though not feeling it himself. “You’re not responsible for what you did when you weren’t you.”

“Yes, I am,” Ryan said. “And don’t you ever let me forget that. Come on, I’ll take you out of here.”

They were about to help Kerry to his feet when they were suddenly joined by another group of people.

“Get the hell away from him.”

Geoff stood at the front of the group, all of whom had their weapons out and pointed at Ryan, except for Jack, who was supporting Geoff. Geoff looked small without his armor, and his face was very pale, but his voice was steel.

“If you fucking touch a hair on his head I’ll kill you myself.”

“Geoff,” Gavin said, stepping into view so that he was partially shielding Ryan from the rest of them. “It’s okay, he’s okay. He’s Ryan again.”

“Careful,” Jack muttered. “Might be a trick.”

With Jack’s help, Geoff limped forward until he was nose to nose with Ryan who seemed to be having trouble making eye-contact again.

“You dropped us down a hole into a watery grave and then one of your death rooms nearly shot us full of arrows,” Geoff said.

“Yes,” Ryan said, offering no excuses.

“And then, you locked us in a room with a fucking dragon.”

“Yes.”

“And _then_ , when we finally find you, tell you that we’ve come to get you out of here, you dropped us down _another goddamn hole_.”

“Yes.”

“Which, it turns out, leads to a pitch-black maze filled with mobs and that _thing_ out for our blood. We got our _asses_ handed to us and at least three of us nearly died. And after all _that_ , you say you’re completely back to normal. You’re cured of the cuckoo bug, is that it?”

“Yes.”

Geoff snorted.

“And why the hell should I trust _anything_ that comes out of your mouth?”

“You shouldn’t,” Ryan said, and then pointed at Gavin. “I guess it comes down to whether or not you trust him.”

Geoff stared at Gavin who could only nod and hope Geoff would believe him. After a very long minute, Geoff shrugged Jack off and hobbled closer to Ryan who looked at him apprehensively and not without a little bit of shame.

“I messed up,” Ryan said quietly. “This place got to me and I went a little psycho. Okay, a _lot_ psycho. But the further I got from reality, the less reality hurt. It was like I was playing a part I didn’t want to let go of because if I did I’d remember everything I’d lost. It’s not an excuse, but that’s the reason. And I am so, incredibly sorry for what I put you all through. I know forgiveness is out of the question, but at least let me help you get out of here and--”

Geoff reeled back and punched Ryan square in the face. Ryan was caught so off-guard he actually spun around and hit the floor where he sat in shock, clutching the side of his face.

“You hit me!”

“You’re goddamn right I did. Ow, fuck, I think I broke my hand.”

“I think you broke my nose!”

The others sniggered while Jack sighed like an exasperated parent.

“Goddammit, Geoff, come here. I think you reopened your wounds.”

“That motherfucker broke my hand with his face!”

“Maybe if you didn’t punch like a jackass,” Michael said. “Let me show you how it’s done.”

“Please stop hitting me.”

“Yeah, get in line,” Kerry said. “If anyone’s going to beat him up for all the crap they went through, it’s going to be me.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed as he zeroed in on Kerry. Then he smiled, and it was so terrifying that Kerry scooted back further against the wall.

“There you are, you mousy motherfucker,” Michael said, cracking his knuckles and grinning like a cat. “I’ve been waiting to find you again.”

“I don’t normally condone violence,” Ray said, “but after all the shit _you_ pulled, I might have to make an exception.” Michael and Ray closed in on Kerry whose resemblance to a cornered animal had become quite uncanny.

“H-Hold on a sec, guys,” Kerry said. “It wasn’t my fault. Ryan made me do it!”

“Oh look, he’s trying to play the blame game,” Michael said. “That’s cute. Hey, Ray, you want first crack at him?”

Gavin looked around the room. Geoff was crying and moaning while Jack inspected his hand and attended to his bandages. Ryan stayed where he had fallen, trying to staunch a bloody nose. And Michael and Ray were both wailing on Kerry, though not hard enough to do any serious damage.

It was probably the happiest he’d felt in four years.


	18. The King's Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearing the end here. As always, thanks to everyone who has left a comment or a kudos. I'm glad so many people seem to be enjoying this story. :)

It was almost time to go. Michael and Ray were stocking up on the provisions Ryan had stored up, which unfortunately offered up very little in the way of food but they were able to at least replenish their weapons. Jack was cleaning up Kerry who would be joining them at Ryan’s request, which Geoff had grudgingly agreed to. He was still a little weak from his near-death experience, but had recuperated well with the help of Ryan’s potions. They’d also found Kdin wandering the halls after he realized that roaming the Nether while blind was both stupid and likely to get him killed, so they decided, fuck it, he could come too.

“Let’s just bring home a bunch of zombie pigmen and blazes while we’re at it,” Geoff had joked. “I know I’m not building their houses.” To which Kdin responded that he could probably build another palace with his eyes closed, pun intended. Michael argued that that hadn’t really been a pun and that Kdin was a complete moron, and the conversation derailed from there.

Gavin stood with Geoff as he supervised the group (and by ‘supervised’ he stood in a corner to avoid doing any physical labor). Geoff had mostly been keeping a wary eye on Ryan as he awkwardly helped gather supplies. The others interacted with him from time to time, but it would take awhile before they could trust him fully again. It wasn’t just the events of the past few hours either. Four years was a long time to recover from in any relationship. But they had been able to work things out with each other fairly quickly, so Gavin hoped they could soon resolve ties with Ryan, especially once they were back home.

“How did you do it?” Geoff asked as he watched Ryan show off some of the modifications he’d made on a bow to make it shoot more than one arrow at a time. “How did you get rid of the crazy?”

“I reasoned with him using a logical and well-thought-out argument.”

“No, really.”

“I pushed him and yelled in his face.”

“Atta boy, Gavin!” Michael called as he walked over to their side of the room. “See? Violence does solve everything. Geoff, we’re about ready to go. Ryan had a shit-ton of potions in storage, so we’re good there, and we’ve got fresh weapons too. Long as we can find our way back to the portal and it hasn’t blown up yet, we should be home in a couple of hours.”

“Fucking fantastic,” Geoff said.

“What then, do you reckon?” Gavin asked. “What are we going to do once we get back to Achievement City?”

“We’ll figure it out when we get there, I guess,” Geoff said.

“Tell you what, it’s gonna be a bitch to clean that place up,” Michael said. “We should just set off G-plan and start over.”

“You’re fucking building Jack’s dick this time around,” Geoff said. “I’ve been scarred enough for one lifetime.”

“Um,” Ryan said, coming up to them. When Geoff moved forward a bit he flinched.

“Relax,” Geoff said. “I’m not going to hit you again.”

“He doesn’t need to break his other hand,” Michael snorted.

“Right, ah, so I was wondering--”

“Okay, seeing you all timid and awkward is just too weird,” Geoff said, “so let’s clear the air so you can be your regular creepy-ass-but-still-relatively-sane-self again.” The room got quiet as Jack and Ray joined them. Kerry and Kdin hung off to the side, but still within earshot.

“You did some crazy shit,” Geoff said. “Some really fucked up stuff. But I can’t say I wouldn’t have turned out the same way if it had been me stuck here for that long. Hell, I probably wouldn’t have lasted more than a week, but you had to stick it out for four fucking years.

“It was my call. We tried so many times to find you, and we were paying for it.” Off to the side, Jack shifted his weight from his wooden leg to his real one. Michael scratched at his face where his scar itched. “So I made the decision to stop looking for you. I decided you were dead. If you want to hate me for that, you’ve got every right to.”

“And if I don’t? Want to hate you?”

“Then we forgive, hug it out, and move on.”

“I’m good with that.”

“Then let’s hug it out, bitch.”

Geoff and Ryan clasped each other’s backs, giving the traditional double pat of men but also the extra squeeze that belongs exclusively to close friends. Jack abandoned social norms and went straight for the full-on bear hug. Michael and Ray tried to get away with just a handshake each but then Gavin darted in and tackled them all, which led to a bit of rough-housing which in turn led to a much more relaxed and natural group hug.

“What’s going on?” Kdin whispered to Kerry.

“They’re all hugging each other,” Kerry explained.

“Why?”

“I have no idea. I guess it’s their thing.”

“Do you think we’ll get hugs too?”

“Probably not. Do you _want_ a hug?”

“Not from you.”

“Fine. Be like that.”

“Hey, Ryan,” Gavin asked, once they had broken apart. “Before we go, there’s something I still don’t understand.”

“There’s a surprise,” Ray muttered.

“What’s up, Gavin?” Ryan said.

“What’s ‘The End’?”

Ryan frowned.

“Who told you about that?” he asked, though he didn’t seem angry about it.

“Kdin mentioned it,” Gavin said. “He said you were searching for it, only you were keeping the whole thing private, like you didn’t want anyone to find out. What is it?”

Ryan sighed, rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. He seemed to be looking for a good place to start, and thankfully no one interrupted him before he could speak.

“When I first got stuck here, I tried everything I could think of to find a way back,” he said at last. “I searched through fortresses, hoping I could somehow find an activated portal, because I didn’t have the materials to make one myself. That didn’t work, obviously, and I thought I was stuck here for good.

“Then I heard about a place called ‘The End.’ It was a legend, a rumor whispered through the Nether about a place that went beyond this world, and if you could make an ‘end portal,’ you could escape this hellhole. When I met Kerry, he told me he’d also heard about it, but didn’t think it was real, just something people who were stuck here used to give them hope. But I had to try.

“The key was to find a place where I could safely work on building the portal without having to worry about being attacked by monsters. At first I thought that place would be my recreation of Achievement City, but that got a little . . . weird. In hindsight, building it was a really bad idea, but I just wanted to have something familiar with me.

“That’s about when I gave up on you guys ever coming back for me. It’d already been a few years at this point, give or take--keeping track of time in the Nether is kinda hard since the sky doesn’t change--so I decided to officially give up. Move on. At least, that’s how I rationalized it in my mind. I guess I accidentally left myself behind in the process, because soon afterwards I adopted this ‘king’ persona. Maybe it was a coping mechanism, or I had just gone crazy. There was a small part of me that knew what was happening and that I was losing it, but it was so much easier to ignore that part. If I was king, I had power over my surroundings. I was in control.

“I moved into an old fortress and worked with Kerry to fix it up so it was well-defended against everything from a blaze attack to a ghast explosion. From time to time, other people who had been wandering the Nether stumbled across it and we gave them shelter in exchange for their help making the place livable. Kdin was the first, but there were others. Matt, Jeremy . . .” Ryan had to pause, take several deep breaths. No one asked why, they all remembered what Kdin had said about the others who had mysteriously disappeared. Eventually, Ryan collected himself enough to keep going.

“I became obsessed with the idea of The End. I wanted out. I may have made myself the ruler of this land but it was still a pretty shitty place to live. I wanted something better. I deserved it. I traveled all over the Nether to find information on these end portals. I left the fortress for weeks at a time, usually without anyone but Kerry knowing.

“On my third or fourth trip, I discovered a bunch of runes inscribed on one of the walls of a fortress a long ways from here. I don’t know who or what left them, but they described a gateway to another world where a deadly creature waited to test all who passed through. If you could defeat it, you would be rewarded with The End.

“I returned to my castle extremely excited. The runes told me that I would need twelve eyes of ender to activate the end portal, a process that would take me several months, but at least I knew what I had to do. I had my way out. So half of my time was spent trying to find the eyes of ender scattered around the Nether, usually in chests abandoned in fortresses. The other half was spent figuring out how I would face the creature that was supposed to be guarding the The End. I decided to create a champion, something that would fight on my behalf. I started to experiment with splicing together the monsters of the Nether. That’s when I really crossed the line, but if I stopped to think about what I was doing for even a second it would destroy me, and I couldn’t let that happen. I had to reach The End.

“My first attempts were . . . unsuccessful. I won’t go into the details, but I realized that these monsters simply weren’t strong enough to host each other. So I decided to take a more, _human_ route. You guys saw the end results of that.

“In the end though, I just couldn’t find a creature strong enough, even if I could keep it alive for longer than a few days. So I refocused my efforts on the portal itself. At this point, eating and sleeping were not a priority. It was all about completing the portal, getting to The End. It took away another year of my life, but I finally did it. I installed all twelve eyes of ender and activated the end portal. It’s not like the portals we used to go to and from the Nether. It’s black, empty, like liquid obsidian. I vaguely remember Kerry trying to stop me from going in, but I was long past listening to him. I grabbed weapons, potions, and went through.

“I came out on an empty plain underneath a starless sky. There were no houses, no people. Just a shit-ton of Endermen . . . and the Ender Dragon. I won’t describe how difficult it was to beat that thing--you all already fought your own version and know what it’s like. There were several moments when I was sure I was going to die. I’m not sure how long the fight went on--it felt like days--but eventually, I wore it down enough so I could finish it off. I stabbed it through the heart and its body melted away. I’ve never seen anything like it.

“I had killed the Ender Dragon, the guardian of the gateway, and I was ready to pass on to The End to claim my reward. But when the time came . . . I just couldn’t. The End seemed so final. So permanent. If I went through, I might not be able to come back from this unknown land. And then, for the first time in years, I thought of you guys. If I went to The End, I would never see you again. Even though I had given up on you coming back for me, I just couldn’t squash the little bit of hope that I didn’t even know I had left. That maybe one day, I would see you all again. And I’d be lying if I said that losing all of the power and control I had accumulated in the Nether wasn’t a consideration too.

“So I decided to go back, but not without collecting my prize for defeating the Ender Dragon: an egg. I’m sure you can all guess what I decided to do with that. The rest you know. I gave up trying to leave and just focused on increasing my power, creating stronger and more powerful creatures to enforce my rule. I embraced the ‘Mad King’ persona and gave up being Ryan for good.”

Ryan finished to silence. No one really knew what to say or do. Surprisingly, Ray was the first to speak.

“We really fucked up, didn’t we?”

“You couldn’t have known,” Ryan said.

“Doesn’t matter,” Geoff said. “Whether we knew it or not, we still fucked up. We should have never given up on you and for that, Ryan, I am truly sorry.”

“I know,” Ryan said. “I don’t blame you. It’s not like I got lost in a daisy field. You guys risked your lives over and over trying to find me. To bring me back. Thank you.”

“You’ve waited long enough,” Geoff said. “Let’s go home.”


	19. Let's End It With A Bang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uploading this early since I'll be away for the weekend. One more chapter to go and then this thing is finished (I might actually hit the 50,000 word mark oh god)! Thanks for sticking with me this long, everyone!

They gathered up their supplies and, with Ryan’s guidance, navigated the many twists and turns of the palace until they were outside at last. Compared to the staleness of the castle, the air in the Nether almost seemed fresh, if a little over-baked. When they were a short distance away, Ryan turned to look back. It was understandable. As messed up as it was, this place had been his home for the past few years. It would be natural for him to miss it in some way.

“Can you guys wait here a sec?” Ryan asked. “There’s something I need to do.”

The others exchanged glances but they agreed to wait for him. Monsters avoided this place and probably would for a long time to come, so there was no immediate danger for them to worry about. They watched as Ryan approached the fortress. He put a hand on one of its walls, as if to bid the place a fond farewell. His wanderings took him around the corner of one of the walls, and he disappeared from view.

“You know, I think I might actually miss this place,” Kerry said.

“I get what you mean,” Kdin said. “This building is my baby. It was a wreck when I first showed up, and I’m really proud of how it turned out.”

“There’s Ryan again,” Jack said.

“Why is he running like that?” Ray asked.

Instead of walking back to them, Ryan was sprinting as though Edgar itself was on his heels.

“You guys might want to put some distance between yourselves and the castle,” he called as he reached them. “I’m not sure how volatile the area will be when it reacts to the explosions!”

“Explosions? What explosions?” Kdin asked. “I didn’t put in any explosions!”

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to shake.

“What did you do?” Jack shouted.

“Uh, funny thing about ghast fireballs--”

“I don’t know about you guys,” Geoff interrupted, “but I think the other side of this valley would be a really good place to be right about now!”

“ _Leg it!_ ” Gavin shouted, and they all made for the uphill slope towards the valley’s rim. Kerry and Jack had to help keep Kdin from tripping, but the rest of them booked it straight to the top. But no matter how quickly they moved their legs, they were not going to be able to outrun it.

It started as a rumble deep within the ground, then escalated to a roar that _felt_ as loud as it sounded. The ground was not just shaking now, it was pitching back and forth like the deck of a ship caught in the mother load of all storms. It was nearly impossible to keep their balance, and several times one of them would take a tumble only to be dragged to his feet by someone else. They were only halfway up the slope when the castle blew.

It would surely have been a magnificent sight, had any of them dared to stop long enough to look back at it. It certainly _sounded_ impressive--the roar turned into a deafening wall of noise that seemed to push them forwards, or maybe that was just the oppressive thrust of heat that shoved at their backs and gave each of them an instant, back-of-the-neck sunburn. The combined forces of heat and movement forced all of them to their knees, but they were soon up again as the lava-encrusted ground set off a series of smaller, yet still incredibly powerful explosions that guaranteed none of them would stop to catch their breath. Pieces of the castle began to rain down on their heads, from harmless scraps of netherrack to a chunk of what looked like part of Ryan’s throne that nearly crushed its former king as it crashed into the ground.

At last, they reached the lip of the valley and safely surpassed the explosion’s reach. One by one they looked back to see the destruction. Gavin was having a hard time catching his breath, swallowing huge lungfuls of super-heated air.

Where there had once been a castle there was now an enormous crater gouged out of the ground. Here and there, a wall still stood in defiance, but for the most part the entire thing had been completely leveled. Fires burned everywhere with a brightness and a heat so intense they had to shield their faces from it even as far away as they were. Eventually, those fires would die down, and there would be no indication other than a very large hole that anything had ever been there.

“A little more warning next time maybe?” Geoff asked between huge gasps of breath.

“When the hell did you install that?” Kerry asked. “Contained ghast fireballs? You could have blown us all up at any time!”

“Those were _not_ in my original design,” Kdin said. “I spent years building that, and I don’t need eyes to see that it is completely wrecked to shit now!”

“I couldn’t leave it standing,” Ryan said. He was looking down at the ruins of his castle with a solemn face, but not without a flash of triumph in his eyes. “What happened in there, it deserves to be buried forever. Or blown into non-existence, in this case.”

They all stood and looked at the wreckage in silence. Already the air was beginning to cool, although the Nether always seemed unnaturally warm as a rule. From some unknown source, a light breeze brushed at their backs.

“You know what?” Kdin finally said. “Fuck that place.”

“Agreed,” Kerry said.

“Come on guys,” Ryan said, turning his back on the remnants of his kingdom. “Let’s get out of here.”

They made their way back through the replica of Achievement City, but this time they had no inclination to linger.

“I’ll see the real thing soon,” Ryan said as they left it behind in the distance.

“It’s an absolute mess,” Gavin warned. “Everything went to crap after we left it.”

“Then fixing it up will give us something to do,” Ryan said. “I could certainly stand to be busy for awhile.”

“We’ve got to fix up Dan the Man, he is in seriously bad shape,” Ray said.

“Yeah, but let’s leave Creeper Soccer the way it is,” Michael said. “That failure deserves to rot into oblivion.”

“Ooh, can we burn what’s left of Monopoly?”

“Hell no! That’s the first thing we’re going to rebuild.”

“If you make me go near that thing I am burning it to the ground and salting the earth.”

“Uh, guys?” Gavin asked, halting in his tracks. “Where are we?”

“Please tell me you did not just say that,” Geoff said, stopping as well. “You’re supposed to be leading us, dumbass!”

“What, you can’t remember the way back on your own?” Gavin shot back. “Besides, everything’s . . . different now.”

It was true, the landscape had changed dramatically in the time they’d spent in the valley. Now there were craters where before there had only been rising slopes, and bridges that had not existed before.

“It makes sense,” Ryan said. “this place changes so dramatically, what with all the never-ending explosions and shit. After that ghast that blew up the portal sent me flying down the mountain I couldn’t find my way back because everything looked so unfamiliar. I just ended up getting more lost.”

“No, no,” Geoff said emphatically. “We are not lost. We are just temporarily mis-located.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not a real word,” Ryan said.

“Your face is not a real word.”

“That’s . . . technically true, I guess.”

“Look, we know we came from down there somewhere,” Geoff said, pointing. “So we’ll head in that direction and see if we recognize anything. More importantly, we stick together. If we’re going to be temporarily mis-located, we’re going to do it as a group.”

Together they made their way down, stopping only to determine whether they should navigate across a narrow and potentially unstable bridge or take a longer but safer detour. Gavin and Geoff were all for the quicker route, but the others insisted on going the way less likely to end in a fire-y death.

“Babies,” Geoff muttered, although he looked slightly relieved.

They caught sight of a few monsters here and there but kept their distance, having no desire for a fight. It would only slow them down, and frankly, they didn’t have the energy for it. Eventually they found a couple of memorably-shaped netherrack formations that told them they were on the right track.

“Look, it’s the dick rock!” Michael shouted.

“How did you not point that out on the way up?” Ray asked.

“‘Cause we were busy fighting blazes and shit.”

“But you paid enough attention to notice that rock is penis-shaped?”

“Ray, when it comes to dicks, I _always_ pay attention.”

“I know that story,” Geoff said.

“You know, after watching you guys take down Kdin and Kerry, and when Gavin shook me back to my senses, I kind of thought you had all matured into these incredibly wise, fully-competent adults,” Ryan said. “But I see you’re the same immature, dick-loving fuck-ups as ever.”

“Yeah, but you love us,” Michael said. “C’mon, admit it.”

Ryan smiled. “Yeah,” he said. “I really do.”

“Gaaaay,” Ray said.

“And don’t sell yourself short, Ryan,” Michael added. “You’re an immature, dick-loving fuck-up too.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“You guys are really weird,” Kerry said.

“Look who’s talking, cow-boy.”

“Gavin said I was scary! I kicked your ass!”

“And you think reminding us about this is a good idea, _why_? I know we haven’t known each other long, but do I strike you as the kind of guy with a fuck-ton of patience for stupidity?”

“ . . . I’ll shut up now.”

“There it is!” Gavin interrupted, pointing to a spot at least a hundred yards away. A familiar black obsidian frame with its swirly purple center sat at the base of a cliff, waiting for them.

“Now that,” Jack said, “is a sight for sore eyes.”

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my entire goddamn life,” Geoff said.

“Last one there’s a rotten piece of zombie flesh!” Michael shouted, and sprinted for the portal.

“Yeah, no, I only run when my life depends on it,” Ray said. “And I’ve filled that quota already today.”

“I’m not running on this leg,” Jack said.

“I have to help Kdin,” Kerry said.

“Don’t make excuses with me, you lazy shit,” Kdin shot back.

“I’m too sober for this,” Geoff groaned.

They all continued to walk at their own pace, and Michael won the race by an incredible margin.

“You guys suck,” he said, once they’d finally caught up.

“You’re too damn competitive, Michael,” Gavin said.

“Watch who you’re talking to. I’m Mogar the Dragonslayer now.”

“And who took care of Edgar while you were running in circles, you dumb bastard?”

“Yeah, I’m still not buying that _you_ of all people managed to take that thing down.”

“It’s true! Kerry?”

“Can we just get out of here?” Kerry said. “I feel like we’ve been pressing our luck, going this long without running into a mob.”

“I’m with the Bovine Wonder.” Ray said.

“Would you stop it with the cow jokes!”

“No. Let’s go back already. I’m so hungry, I could eat all those cakes you guys crammed inside my walls. I wonder if they’re still good?”

“But Ray, you hate cake,” Jack joked. Ray flipped him off and marched over to the portal.

“There’s no place like home!” Ray shouted, and jumped in. Within a few seconds, he had vanished.

“What a loser,” Michael snorted, and stepped in after him. Jack waved, as if he wasn’t about to see them all in two minutes, and went in next. Kerry guided Kdin to the portal and they went in together.

“After you?” Ryan asked Geoff.

“Oh no,” Geoff said. “I’m not going anywhere until I see the both of you go through.”

“Ryan first this time,” Gavin said. Ryan nodded and stepped towards the portal. He took one last, lingering look at the Nether and then stepped in.

“See you guys back home,” he said, and disappeared.

“Now you,” Geoff said. Gavin took his place at the mouth of the portal.

“Can you believe it?” he asked.

“Believe what?”

“Any of it. All of it.”

“Honestly?” Geoff shook his head. “The minute I saw you walking up to my tower, I knew something big was about to go down. But this? I never could have imagined any of this was possible. You did though. Somehow, you thought we could actually do this. That was a lot of faith to put into us. I’m glad we could justify it.”

“Knew you guys wouldn’t let me down,” Gavin said. He walked into the portal, feeling it warp and twist around him.

“Hey, Gavin.”

“Yeah?”

“If I’m not right behind you, do me a favor, come after me immediately before I can go power-crazy and start mutating people in my basement.”

Gavin flashed the thumbs up and then Geoff disappeared as the Nether melted away and was replaced by the well-lit space underneath Jack’s house where the others were waiting. Everyone had made it through safely. Lindsay, who had been interrogating Michael for details about what had happened in the Nether, was now running over to hug Ryan enthusiastically. He was very happy to see her, and asked why she hadn’t been a part of his rescue party as well.

“Someone had to stay here and make sure you guys got back safe,” she said. “The portal went out at least five times while you were gone. You’re welcome.”

“How long were we in there anyway?” Jack asked.

“Almost two days,” Lindsay said.

“Jesus Christ, no wonder I’m so tired,” Ray said. “See you later, guys, I’m going to go pass out in the corner.” And without further ado he collapsed onto the ground and lay still.

“Where’s Geoff?” Lindsay asked.

Gavin turned back to the portal, a familiar dread rising up in his chest and clawing at his insides.

_Come on, Geoff. Come on._

After an agonizing few seconds, a shape began to form in the purple void, and in another moment Geoff was standing with them and Gavin could breathe again.

“Everyone made it through?” Geoff asked.

“Just waiting on you,” Jack said.

“Alright then. Let’s get to work. We’ve got a lot to do to make Achievement City presentable again.”

“Absolutely no fucking way,” Ray called from his position on the floor.

“Yeah, Geoff, I am well-knackered,” Gavin said. “Can’t it wait until morning?”

“And where are you going to sleep until then?” Geoff asked.

“Right here,” came Ray’s muffled voice from his face-down position.

“We need rest,” Jack said. “We’re all exhausted, Lindsay been up for two days keeping the portal going. If we get into it now, we’ll just crash in ten minutes anyway.”

“Fine,” Geoff conceded. “But I’m sleeping somewhere with a door to keep all the monsters out. My house should still be in pretty decent shape, let’s spend the night there.”

“Aw yeah, sleepover at Geoff’s!” Lindsay said.

“There’s only like, one bed!” Michael protested.

“Yup. Have fun sleeping on the floor, bitches.”

“Come on, Ray,” Jack said.

Ray groaned and dragged himself to his feet, following the rest of them as they made their way out from underneath Jack’s house and over to Geoff’s behemoth.

“By the way, who are these guys?” Lindsay asked, pointing at Kerry and Kdin. “Did you make some new friends?”

“This is Kerry and Kdin,” Jack said, introducing them. “They were, uh, working for Ryan while he was stuck in the Nether.”

“They both nearly got us killed, so now we’re adopting them,” Michael said. “Great, huh?”

“Sounds logical to me,” Lindsay said. “We’ll have to build them houses somewhere.”

“I can take care of my own house,” Kdin said. “Even blind, I’m the best architect in the Nether _and_ the Overworld.”

“We’ll see about that,” Lindsay said, narrowing her eyes at him, clearly feeling that her own reputation was being challenged.

“And Kerry can sleep outside,” Michael said. “We’ll stick him with the other animals.”

“I hate you,” Kerry muttered.

“We could always put him in Kung Fu house,” Ryan said. “The hole’s all ready for him.” He smiled awkwardly at the resulting silence. “Too soon?”

“You mean you were doing this shit _before_ you got to the Nether?” Kerry asked incredulously.

“Ryan’s always been a bit mental,” Gavin said. Kerry groaned.

“Michael,” Lindsay said. “Didn’t we have an unfinished basement underneath our house in Achievement City? We could make that into a little room for Kerry!”

“I don’t know if I like the idea of him sleeping right underneath our bed,” Michael said, frowning at Kerry.

“You don’t want him to listen to us bone?”

“No, I do not want him to listen to us bone. I’m already worried Gavin will sneak in through the tunnel and try to start a three-way.”

“I thought that’s why you built it in the first place, so you could go off and spend secret time together in your tunnel of love. Didn’t you plant your seeds together down there or something?”

“The seed of friendship! Of friendship, woman!”

“Hey, Kerry, I was wondering about something,” Jack interrupted Michael’s defenses. “Out of all of us, what made you choose Gavin to send the visions to?”

“Well, based on the stories Ryan told me about you guys, I figured Gavin would be the easiest person to convince he wasn’t just having weird dreams. That he would probably believe it even without any solid evidence to back it up.”

“So,” Geoff said, “you chose Gavin basically because he’s a gullible idiot?”

“More or less.”

Everyone started laughing. Geoff shrieked with his infamous cries of laughter, louder than all the others combined.

“Oh man,” Michael said while trying to catch his breath between cackles. “That is fucking the greatest. Even Kerry knows how stupid you are!”

“You’re a fucking idiot,” Ray said. “You fixed everything by being a fucking dumbass!”

“I love you so much,” Geoff said in a strangled voice. Actual tears were running down his face. “You fucking beautiful moron.”

“You guys are the worst. You are all absolute rubbish.” But Gavin was smiling too. It felt fantastic to have the whole gang back together again. They still had a lot of work ahead of them, and a long ways to go before things could go back to normal, but they were going to get there. Gavin was sure of it.


	20. Epilogue

_Six months later._

“Ryan! Get up, you lazy donut!”

Gavin banged repeatedly on the door of Kung Fu house, almost dislodging the freshly restored painting hanging on the outer wall. The sight of Ryan’s house still took some getting used to, as they’d elected to rebuild it out of wood instead of dirt (Ray, meanwhile, had insisted on restoring his earthen exterior until he could replace the entire thing with sponge). Kdin had offered to build something a lot cooler-looking than a block, but Ryan had wanted to keep the original design.

“ _Ryan_ , wake up already!”

The door creaked open and Ryan stood staring down grumpily at him with a massive case of bed head.

“Gavin, the sun isn’t even up yet. What do you want?”

“I need to show you something! Come on, we’ve got to hurry!”

“Can’t it wait until the zombies and skeletons catch fire?”

“No, it has to be before sunrise if we want to get the full effect. Everyone else is already there.”

“Alright, alright. Give me one second and I’ll be right out.”

Gavin bounced impatiently from foot to foot as he waited for Ryan to re-emerge. When he finally did, still tired but noticeably less scruffy-looking, Gavin practically started dragging him along, pulling on his sleeve to get him moving.

“Come on! We’re going to miss it!”

They hurried through Achievement City, which looked better than it ever had. The vines that had strangled their houses were gone, repairs had been made, and now everything looked shiny and new. They’d rebuilt Jack’s house completely, Jack surprising them all by not making any modifications or redesigns. He did get pissy though when Geoff tried to put lava in the ceiling again. He thought he’d won that argument but Gavin knew for a fact that Geoff had bullied Kerry into putting it in while they were off messing about elsewhere.

Even though Lindsay had loved the fact that her and Michael’s house had become part-tree, Michael had bitched about the bugs and the leaves until she agreed to chop it down. They replanted a seedling from its branches, however, as it had been there as long as the house and its history entitled it to some form of salvation. The rest of the house had been spruced up accordingly. One of the first things Michael and Gavin did together was to unblock their tunnel, a long and delicate process because of their oh-so-brilliant idea to line the walls with tons of dynamite. Lindsay refurbished the basement into a suitable bedroom for Kerry, though he had plans to move into his own place as soon as possible. This desire for a little privacy and space was probably due mostly in part to the fact that Gavin liked to sneak down the tunnel in the middle of the night and set fire to the end of Kerry’s bed.

“There’s water right there on the floor!” Gavin had protested the third time Kerry had caught him doing this. Eventually, Kerry learned how to properly barricade his door to keep the mincy little pyromaniac out.

After much time and effort, Gavin had managed to replenish his paintings supply, though he was still looking for the perfect one to cover up the entrance to his Trophy Room of Victory. He’d reframed the pictures of his creeper parents and they were hanging up in their old spot next to his front door to greet everyone who came to visit (which, admittedly, wasn’t often, as Gavin’s house was not well-suited or spaced to receiving guests). All in all, it was hard to tell that they’d ever let the city fall into such disrepair.

Gavin led Ryan past the collapsed wool statues (they had not yet gotten around to rebuilding them, and probably would end up putting it off indefinitely), heading straight past the remains of the sheep, pig, and the giant creeper towards Pac-Man.

“Seriously, where are you taking me?” Ryan asked. “You better not be getting all worked up because you figured out how to rig an explosion to spell out the word “anus” or something.”

“Nah,” Gavin said, “but that’s a great idea. You should tell Geoff that when we get there.”

“When we get _where_?” Ryan asked pointedly.

“Here,” Gavin said, climbing to the top of a hill. Ryan was about to follow when he was arrested by Michael who had come up from the other side.

“Gavin! You were supposed to blindfold him!” Michael shouted.

“Oh, right,” Gavin said. “Sorry, boi. I forgot.”

“You almost ruined everything!”

“Well then maybe you should have gone to get him, you dumb bastard!”

“You’re the one who insisted on going! ‘I wont to get ‘im. I wont to fetch Ryan.’ You stupid prick.”

“It’s too early, Michael! I forget things when I’m tired!”

“We’re all fucking tired! We had to get up before the ass-crack of dawn to make sure everything was ready!”

“Uh, guys?” Ryan interjected. “Not that I’m not having fun listening to you two bicker like the dysfunctional old married couple that you are, but I got the impression that whatever you want to show me is time-sensitive.”

“Fuck, okay just close your eyes or something,” Michael said.

“I really don’t like where this is going,” Ryan said.

“We’re not gonna do anything to you, just do it.”

“Yo, we’re wasting pre-sunlight,” Ray said, popping his head over the hill. “Why isn’t Ryan blindfolded?”

“Because Gavin is a moron,” Michael said. “Come on.”

Ryan, probably against his better instincts, closed his eyes and let the three lads guide him up and over the hill. Gavin was practically hopping with excitement, which only annoyed Michael and Ray further.

“Quit bouncing around like that, you spaz.”

“When this is done I’m gonna fucking kill you, I swear to God.”

“You shouldn’t swear, Michael, it’s not very nice,” Gavin teased. He couldn’t help being in such a good mood. They’d been working on this surprise for weeks now, and it had been torture making sure Ryan didn’t accidentally stumble upon it before it was done. They’d purposefully picked a spot they rarely visited, but it had been stressful all the same. Now the work was over and they could finally show Ryan what they had done.

“Almost,” Gavin said, looking from Ryan to the edge of the eastern horizon where a faint pink had just started to emerge.

“There you dickheads are. I thought you were going to miss it.”

They joined Geoff who was waiting with Jack, Lindsay, Kerry, and Kdin. The latter three had been an enormous help in the actual construction of the surprise, and despite the slight, competitive animosity between Lindsay and Kdin they actually made a pretty good team. They still bickered like mad, though.

Gavin guided Ryan until he was standing in the center facing the surprise. He could just see the sun coming into view, its rays approaching the spot where they all stood.

“Can I open my eyes yet?” Ryan asked.

“Almost,” Geoff said. “Almost, almooooost, okay, now!”

Ryan opened his eyes and Gavin watched his face intently for his reaction. What Ryan was looking at was, in short, the greatest and most pain-in-the-ass undertaking they’d ever done in Achievement City. On their southern border they had erected an enormous mural, probably about the size of Super Mario but far more complicated. The background was made of solid stone, and spaced out evenly along it (thanks to Lindsay who had been very particular about the placement) were their faces in all their simplified, blocky glory. It wasn’t a masterpiece, by any means--Ray’s face had come out basically looking like a giant brown block with a face on it--but everyone was easily recognizable and the combined effect with the sun’s rays lighting the whole thing up looked fantastic. They’d even added Kerry and Kdin to the mix, though clearly greater attention had been paid to the others.

“Wow,” Ryan said. “That looks really good. How long--” he cut himself off, squinting his eyes at the mural. Gavin saw the realization he’d been anticipating slide into place. “That’s . . . not wool. What did you make this out of?”

“Oh, you know, just some materials we had lying around,” Geoff said with feigned casualness. “Emerald, diamond, gold, brick, obsidian and whatnot.”

“Oh my god, how long did this _take_?”

“Well I had a decent amount of gems stored up in my basement,” Geoff said. “Gavin’s was a bitch to do, we didn’t have nearly enough emerald. So we decided to alternate it with mossy stone. Took forever to smuggle the supplies out of Achievement City--ended up having to build a mine cart track underground. Nearly blew everyone up at least three times.”

“But,” Ryan looked impressed, but incredulous. “Why didn’t you just make it out of wool? That would have been so much easier!”

“Because wool doesn’t last,” Jack said. “The rain will wash it away or time will wear it down. And then you can either rebuild it again and again or abandon it and let it rot.”

“But this?” Geoff said. “This is built from some of the strongest materials we have. That shit isn’t going anywhere.”

“Did you build that whole thing as a metaphor for our friendship?” Ryan asked after a brief pause.

“See, it sounds lame when you say it out loud,” Michael said. “So just shut up and appreciate it.”

They all stood back and admired their handiwork. Gavin was immensely proud of what they had done. Yeah it was pretty cheesy, but with the dawn’s light shining on it and lighting up all the embedded gems in their faces, it did look pretty damn cool. But soon, Gavin’s eyes were drawn to the people around him, standing together on a hilltop in the rising sun.

It was incredible to think that there was a time when he thought he might never see or speak to any of these idiots ever again. That Michael, who had left without a word of goodbye, was now teasing him again as though they’d never been separated. That Geoff, who had retreated so far into himself he’d built a prison in the sky to avoid facing the others, was laughing and smiling in a way that took years off his face. Ray, who had refused to leave his house, was excited about doing things again, Lindsay was grinning like a loon who’d never forgotten how to smile, and Jack was walking as straight and tall as he ever had with two legs.

And Ryan. Ryan was here. Ryan was safe when they had all given up hope of ever seeing him again. And Gavin, who had spent four years hiding in caves with only monsters and his own thoughts for company, was surrounded by his friends, laughing, smiling, and thinking of all the crazy stuff they still had to do. It was a pretty good feeling.

“So,” Geoff said. “Now what?”

“We could do some more repair work,” Jack suggested.

“Fuck that,” Michael said. “Let’s fight some zombies or something.”

“Can’t we just go back to bed?” Ray asked, yawning.

“Let’s go to the moon again!” Lindsay said. “Oh wait, let’s find some aliens on Mars!”

“Sunrise was two minutes ago and you want to go to _space_?” Ray cried.

“But it would be so _cool_!”

“We could always do some experiments,” Ryan said. “Edgar’s hole has been empty for awhile now.”

“ _No_ ,” Kdin and Kerry said at the same time.

“Seriously? Six months and I still can’t joke about it?”

“What do you want to do, Gavin?” Geoff asked.

Gavin thought about it. The possibilities were endless, which always made coming to a decision that much harder.

“Let’s have us an adventure, lads!” Gavin said at last. Geoff rolled his eyes.

“So glad I asked for your input. What would we do without your helpfully specific suggestions?”

“Let’s go exploring. Come on, Geoff, don’t you want to know what’s out there beyond our mural of friendship?”

“Are we talking in metaphors again?” Ryan asked.

“Again, Ryan, when you say it out loud, you make it sound lame,” Michael said. “I’m up for a little expedition. Maybe I’ll get to bash some baddies along the way.”

“Fuck it,” Ray said. “Whatever we end up doing, I’m not getting any more sleep. Might as well wander around aimlessly, maybe fall to my death in a ravine somewhere.”

“That’s the spirit, Ray,” Jack said.

“Alright, Gavin, you win,” Geoff said. “Lead the way.”

So Gavin stepped down the hill and began to run. He ran and ran forwards into the unknown, and not once did he stop to see if his friends were still following. He knew they would always be right behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it. It has been so much fun creating this incredibly long story (almost 50,000 words holy Edgar!) and thank you so much everyone who has read every last bit of it. Some of you have been with me for the entire journey, and I hope it was at least an entertaining way to spend the last few months. The ending is a bit cheesy, but in the words of the AH crew, "CHEEEEEEESE!" I have treasured each individual comment and kudos, and while I don't know when I'll return (I seem to be only capable of writing novel-length fics and that takes a lot of time and planning) I'm sure I will not be gone for long, as long as you guys still enjoy what I write.
> 
> Thank you. :)


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